daniel chigunwe
Zvikomborero Parafini
YET another bail application, which was based on changed circumstances, by embattled businessmen Mike Chimombe and Moses Mpofu has FAILED.
The presiding magistrate ruled that they were not suitable candidates for bail.
The duo appeared before regional magistrate Taurai Manuwere who threw out their bail application on the basis that it lacked merit as there had been no change in circumstances.
The duo was remanded in custody until January 27.
Allegations are that the two businessmen, through their company Juluka Projects and plant hire, placed a bid amongst other companies for rehabilitation of street lighting ahead of the SADC summit.
The invitation to tender document by the City of Harare stipulated that all the prospective bidders must have among other requirements, stamped audited financial statements for the last two years, proof of payment for special procurement oversight committee [SPOC] administration fee, specific experience of work history (experience) with the City of Harare in relation to a similar project, NSSA Certificate of Compliance, ZIMRA Compliance Certificate, amongst other things.
On April 19, the City of Harare Evaluation Committee awarded Syvern Investments, Exodus and Company, Ship Tracks, and Onel Engineering the tender to rehabilitate eight of the ten lots.
Due to lot limitation, no company was awarded more than two lots, therefore, two of the ten lots were left unawarded.
Juluka ENDD Joint Venture was disqualified after failing to meet the tender requirements.
Among other reasons for their disqualification was that their audited statements did not have an audit opinion, which was a prerequisite for all the bidders on all the ten lots.
However, the City of Harare went on to invite Juluka END joint venture to submit a fresh bid and the duo responded by submitting a bid document containing some false statements.
It is the State’s case that the duo claimed in their papers that they had the specific required experience related to street lighting and lied that they had installed light bulbs in the CBD.
It is alleged that the two misrepresented that they were compliant with the requirements of the PPDPA (General) Regulations which required the payment of a Special Procurement oversight Committee fee of US$400 by submitting in their bid document.
The State claims that they also submitted a bid security obtained on 26 March 2024, which they had also earlier used in the previous unsuccessful tender and submitted audit documents which they claimed were done by a consultancy company, which investigations revealed was unregistered.
Resultantly, Juluka ENDD Joint Venture (Pvt) Ltd was awarded the contract for the two lots.
Mpofu allegedly signed as managing director of the company while Chimombe signed as a witness, which culminated in them receiving a part payment of US$260 000.
Online Reporter