Judgment date for Mangoma set

criminal abuse of office has been set for June 22.
Mangoma is being accused of authorising the purchase of 5 million litres of diesel from NOOA Petroleum of South Africa without going to tender.
Justice Chinembiri Bhunu is expected to make a ruling on an application for discharge by Mangoma at the close of the State case. He set the judgement date after hearing submissions from Mangoma’s lawyer Mrs Beatrice Mtetwa and chief law officer Mr Chris Mutangadura for the prosecution.
Mrs Mtetwa argued that Mangoma had no case to answer and that he should be acquitted at the end of the State’s case. She said there were no good grounds to place Mangoma on his defence arguing evidence led from State witnesses did not prove any offence against him. Mrs Mtetwa told the court that the State had “dismally failed” to prove the offence and that Mangoma should subsequently be acquitted.
She said the fuel was bought to manage a serious fuel shortage that was looming. Mr Mutangadura opposed the application saying the State had proved a prima-facie case against Mangoma adding that there were still unanswered questions.
Mr Mutangadura urged the court to allow the State to cross-examine Mangoma in his defence. He said the State managed to prove that NOOA Petroleum was not on the gazetted list of 15 firms as well as an additional list of 10 more that were approved by the State Procurement Board.
“Evidence led so far establishes a prima-facie case. We have proved that Mangoma was a public officer who did something inconsistent with his duties for the purpose of showing favour.
“NOOA was never known to the State Procurement Board and was not the list of gazetted and approved companies produced in court.
“We want to know how Mangoma got involved in the matter if he was not responsible for procurement of fuel,” said Mr Mutangadura.