Health director Manangazira’s trial date set

Nyore Madzianike-Senior Court Reporter

The director of Epidemiology and Disease Control in the Ministry of Health and Child Care, Dr Portia Manangazira’s trial on allegations of paying facilitation fees to undeserving ministry staff, flouting tender rules and embezzling 3 290 litres worth of diesel coupons, has been set for April this year.

Manangazira is charged with criminal abuse of office as a public officer after she allegedly flouted tender procedures and bought US$280 529 of goods and services and allegedly diverted diesel coupons for 3 290 litres to private vehicles

Harare regional magistrate Mr Stanford Mambanje set April 6 as the trial date for Manangazira, who was one of the top officials in the fight against Covid-19 during the time she allegedly committed the offences.

Her trial was set to kick-off yesterday, but the trial prosecutor from Special Anti-Corruption Unit (SACU) Mr Thabani Mpofu was not available for trial.

Manangazira is being represented by lawyer Mr Garikayi Mhishi.

According to the State, Manangazira allegedly criminally abused aid funds by hiring 28 relatives as community health workers and paying facilitation fees to undeserving ministry staff.

Further allegations are that she misappropriated US$796 675 availed by the Africa Centre for Disease Control through a non-governmental organisation, the African Field Epidemiology Network, she had requested through her department to recruit, train and deploy 800 community health workers to undertake a Covid-19 awareness programme.

Manangazira is also accused of buying US$295 529 of goods and services in 2020 without following tender procedures.

She allegedly recommended payment between July 23 and November 1 of the same year of facilitation fees amounting to US$8 835 to undeserving employees in the ministry.

And between the same period she allegedly identified about 1 000 health community workers, including 28 of her own relatives, who were all paid US$600 each over three months, without engaging either district or provincial medical officers.

The workers were supposed to be drawn from across key religious, traditional, cultural and geographical groups in Covid-19 hotspots.

Mr Lancelot Mutsokoti appeared for the State.