Ex-NBA chief executive acquitted

In acquitting Mr Wood, the magistrate Mrs Lisa Mutendereki said there was nothing linking him with the commission of offences levelled against him.

Chief Court Reporter

FORMER National Biotechnology Authority (NBA) Chief Executive, Mr Jonathan Mufandaedza, who was facing 24 counts of criminal abuse of office and one of fraud has been acquitted of all the charges.

Mr Mufandaedza who was arrested in March 2021, was accused of raiding the NBA’s finances and spending more than US$6 000 on a holiday in South Africa, and putting his gardener and housemaid on his employer’s payroll among other charges, allegedly prejudicing the institution of thousands of United States dollars in unapproved expenditure.

He denied all charges when his trial commenced last year before Regional Magistrate Mrs Feresi Chakanyuka.

After a fully contested trial, Mrs Chakanyuka found Mr Mufandadedza not guilty and acquitted him, noting that the prosecution failed to prove its case beyond any reasonable doubt.