Jere case continues in May

Nyore Madzianike
Senior Court Reporter
ZESA Holdings is generating revenue from smart meters supplied by businessman Farai Jere’s company, Helcraw Electrical, which the State alleges were faulty, the power utility company’s former northern region general manager Engineer Raphael Katsande said in court yesterday .

Eng Katsande said he had not seen the fault in the smart meters when they were installed in 2018 until a year later when Dr Sydney Gata joined ZESA Holdings as the company’s executive chairman.

He told Harare regional magistrate Mrs Marehwanazvo Gofa that he came to know of the faults through a report compiled by Dr Gata in 2019.

Eng Katsande was being cross-examined in a trial in which Jere, his company Helcraw and two ZETDC engineers, Leonard Chisina and Freeman Chikonzo, are charged with fraud over a smart meters supply deal worth US$3,5 million.

The four deny the charges.

Asked by Advocate Lewis Uriri to confirm whether ZESA is not generating 60 percent of its revenue from the smart meters at the centre of the case or not, Eng Katsande replied: “I cannot say it is 60 percent but I can say yes it is getting revenue from the meters.”

He said he did not see anything wrong until Dr Gata’s appointment in 2019.

The matter will continue on May 7 with Eng Katsande still under cross-examination.

Mrs Tendai Shonhai and Mr Tafara Chirambira appeared for the State.