adminMr Thankfull Musukutwa, the former Mines and Mining Development secretary, is the third witness in the high profile trial.
“I worked with them well and even when I left the ministry everything was well,” Mr Musukutwa said after being asked by Justice Chinembiri Bhunu if he knew of any wrong doing by Kurotwi and Mubaiwa.
“On my part I would say there was nothing amiss, I just read from newspapers,” Mr Musukutwa said.
He was the secretary for the ministry from May 2009 until July 2011 when the Public Service Commission reassigned him.
While cross-examining Mr Musukutwa the defence lawyer, Mrs Beatrice Mtetwa, said as the responsible caretaker of the ministry he was side-lined and contracts were entered into without his knowledge.
“The truth of the matter is that you were side-lined and the minister was running the show,” Mrs Mtetwa said referring to Mines and Mining Development Minister Obert Mpofu.
She said Mr Musukutwa was in the dark and Minister Mpofu directed the ZMDC board to enter into the diamond mining deal with Core Mining.
Mr Musukutwa said he was not aware of the claims but what he knew was that it was procedural for the board to report to the minister.
Mrs Mtetwa also questioned Mr Musukutwa that there were newspaper reports that he did not see eye to eye with Minister Mpofu.
“Let’s leave it to newspapers,” he said.
Another defence lawyer Advocate Lewis Uriri also said as the chief executive officer of the ministry, Mr Musukutwa was responsible for the day to day operations of the ministry and would be expected to know what was happening in his ministry but was not privy to some of the happenings.
He said Mr Musukutwa was not aware that Minister Mpofu had engaged potential investors and even wrote to President Mugabe in June 23, 2009 recommending the Core Mining-BSGR and Marange Resources partnership.
“You were kept out of many things . . . if you knew probably you remained silent because you wanted to keep your job,” Adv Uriri said.
The defence also said BSGR was a conditional financier and withdrew from the deal after its conditions were not met.
Earlier, Mr Musukutwa in his evidence in chief led by chief law officer, Mr Chris Mutangadura, assisted by Mr Public Mpofu, explained to the court how BSGR and Core
Mining wanted to invest US$2 billion and US$200 million, a commitment fee for the joint venture with Marange Resources.
He said he had forwarded the documents to the Attorney-General’s Office for scrutiny before the joint venture was signed. The trial will continue on July 23.
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