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Court Reporter
Trial dates for three former Air Zimbabwe bosses and three Navistar Insurance Brokers Limited directors accused of defrauding the airline of €5 175 593 and US$502 748 in an alleged insurance scam has been set for August 13. Harare magistrate Mr Donald Ndirowei set the trial date for Airzim former secretary Grace Pfumbidzayi (49) and former group CEO Peter Chikumba (59), jointly charged with criminal abuse of duty as public officers and fraud.
Pfumbidzai will appear in another trial together with former Air Zimbabwe acting group chief executive officer Innocent Mavhunga (53) on August 25. They are jointly charged with fraud.
Meanwhile, the trial date for Navistar Insurance Brokers managing directors Givemore Nderere (45) and Vukile Hlupo (45) and finance director Orten Mawire (60), who are facing four counts of fraud and one of theft, has been scheduled for August 18.
Prosecutor Mr Farai Gatsi alleged that charges against Pfumbidzayi and Chikumba arose last year, after an anomaly was discovered by former Airzim board chairman Ozias Bvute on amounts paid between April 2009 and April 2013 to a company called Navistar Insurance Brokers (Private) Limited in respect of aviation insurance premiums.
It is alleged that the duo enlisted the services of Navistar to provide aviation and insurance cover without going to tender while services of other existing companies were terminated.
Pfumbidzayi and Chikumba are further accused of inflating aviation insurance premiums together with their alleged accomplices, Nderere, Hlupo and Orten.
Inflated payments were allegedly made to Colemont Reinsurance Brokers (Private) Limited and Reinsurance Brokers (Private) Limited, both United Kingdom-based companies.
The firm allegedly released €15 452, 93 to Navistar, €10 607 859,22 to the two British companies, while they pocketed €5 895 695, 49.
In May 2009, it is alleged the duo and their three Navistar Insurance accomplices also misrepresented to Air Zimbabwe that there was an urgent need for the airline to pay US$142 300 to the European Commission to dodge sanctions.
They allegedly converted the money to their own use. The court heard that Pfumbidzayi and Mavhunga originated fictitious debit notes in the sum of US$1 659 276, 58 in 2012.
The money was purportedly requested for the aviation insurance premiums for two leased A320 airbuses.
The transaction was reportedly intercepted by auditors but the airline had already released US$360 448, 68.
It is alleged the duo further claimed US$800 000 for aviation insurance but the board later discovered that the premiums were fully covered during the period.
Online Reporter