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Fungai Lupande Court Reporter
All housing projects initiated by Energy Mutodi’s National Housing Delivery Trust collapsed because he was withdrawing money contributed by members from the company’s trust account willy-nilly, the court heard yesterday.
Testifying in court, former National Housing Delivery Trust (NHDT) projects manager Chandafira Pasipamire told the court that only Bulawayo residents managed to benefit from the housing scheme because Mutodi was “scared of them”.
“The main reasons that led to the collapse of the housing projects were that most of the money was receipted at our office and Mutodi would come and take all the money,” he said.
“Mutodi was the sole signatory of the company and would withdraw money deducted from SSB willy-nilly for personal use.”
Pasipamire said the situation was different in Bulawayo where over 300 families benefited from the same housing project and managed to build their houses.
“Bulawayo members were committed, vigilant and inquisitive of how their money was used,” he said.
“Mutodi had no access to Bulawayo housing project’s money because the members wrote a letter instructing him that their money was not to go to the Harare consortium account.”
The court heard that the Gweru housing project collapsed because Mutodi’s young brother who stayed there took the money.
“I joined the company in 2006 and when I was promoted to Harare I learnt that US$345 000 was paid for Caledonia housing project,” Pasipamire said.
“I realised that there was no paper- work and I started digging deeper into the issue. Mutodi cautioned me that he had not employed me to carry out an audit, but to manage his housing projects.”
Mutodi’s lawyer, Mr Charles Chinyama, said Pasipamire had misrepresented facts to members.
Mutodi is charged in his personal capacity and jointly charged with Boniface Chikono and are both pleading guilty.
He is accused of abusing US$588 787 contributed be members in Harare, Bulawayo, Masvingo, Gweru and Mutare.
Online Reporter