dyton mupawaenda
Herald Reporter
SYNLAK (Private) Limited directors Vusumuzi James Mpofu and Nobukhosi Mpofu have been arrested on allegations of defrauding the City of Harare of US$415 000, which had been channelled towards the Mbare biogas project sometime in 2015.
The City of Harare received the money as a grant from the European Union to design and construct a biogas digester and a 100KVA generator.
Moses Mpofu, who is in custody pending finalisation of his corruption-related criminal offences at court, is also linked to Synlak Pvt Ltd.
According to the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC), Synlak Pvt Ltd secured the contract after misrepresenting that it was an authorised reseller for Camda New Energy Technology Co. Ltd, a key requirement under the tender conditions.
Working in connivance with City of Harare officials, ex-director of Works Phillip Pfukwa and former Chamber Secretary Josephine Ncube, both already in remand on related charges, allegedly manipulated payment processes to receive funds before completing the project.
The funds were deposited into Synlak’s CABS and BancABC accounts, from which Vusumuzi and Nobukhosi, as signatories, made cash withdrawals.
The City of Harare, represented by Acting Town Clerk Mabhena Moyo, reported the matter to ZACC, leading to the pair arrests.
Vusumuzi and Nobukhosi are set to appear in court today.
Online Reporter