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Herald Reporter
Businessman Farai Jere is expected in court today for his bail ruling on fraud charges involving zesa’s smart meters worth US$3 566 878.
Jere was arrested last week, together with two Zesa engineers — Freeman Kuziva and Leonard Chisina — by the Special Anti-Corruption Unit (SACU), working with other law enforcement officers. The State alleges that the trio did not have the smart meters checked at the factory that made them as required by the contract, and that they falsified, or allowed to be falsified, the paperwork to show that the missing factory checks had been completed. The trio is in custody.
Since their initial appearance in court, the State led by Mr George Manokore and Mrs Tinashe Makiya, has been opposing bail for Jere and the two zesa engineers, saying they were facing a serious offence that attracts a custodial sentence, which may prompt them to flee the court’s jurisdiction.
On his last court appearance, Jere, who was represented by Mr Tinofara Hove, said the allegations against him were raised in a bid to elbow him out of the smart meter project.
Fellow accused, Kuziva, said there was no way he could evade the court’s jurisdiction and taint his 30 years of working experience.
Online Reporter