MACHANA CRIES FOUL

Zvikomborero Parafini

PHILEMON Machana says he is a subject of a sustained smear campaign by enemies bent on soiling his image ahead of the watershed ZIFA elections on January 25.

Machana cried foul following a letter to the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission by one Mugadzaweta, copied to the Zifa Ethics Committee, seeking to have him removed from the list of candidates for the association’s presidency.

Among the allegations raised were that he should be investigated for misappropriation of funds involving over US$700 000.

Machana, through his lawyer Admire Rubaya, has dismissed the claims.

“This dubious report to ZACC and the Ethics Committee, is part of a wider smear campaign which attempts to sabotage our client’s candidacy through underhanded tactics and manufactured accusations.

“These unfounded allegations are a desperate ploy to discredit him and undermine his chances of success. We implore and urge the Committee to dismiss these baseless claims with the contempt they deserve.”

In a letter to the association, dated December 18, Machana’s team said it was surprising that he was the only one being mentioned on the allegations yet he was in court together with Farai Jere another Zifa presidential candidate and were both acquitted.

“The $740,270 referred to was moved to Conduit under a ZIFA resolution to avert a potential risk while a new ZIFA account was being opened.

“This was communicated with FIFA and was done in good faith.

“The transferred money was moved back to ZIFA immediately after a new ZIFA account had been opened and no transactions were effected before the funds were moved back.

“This matter was duly prosecuted after it was reported to ZACC by SRC, and all the Accused persons were acquitted by the Harare Regional Court.

“What is interesting is that our client was criminally charged together with Mr Farai Jere, another presidential candidate, who equally stands acquitted.

“The complainant’s sponsors are only after our client for the obvious reasons that they are afraid of his popularity, thus they want him removed by hook or crook,” Rubaya wrote.

He added:

“Conduit was periodically and, on a need-to-need basis, extending interest free loans to ZIFA in times of need. In all those times resolutions would be passed first.

“Therefore, there is no loan that was extended to ZIFA by our client`s company without a resolution from ZIFA and all such loans were interest free.

“It is shockingly outrageous that our client is being subjected to abuse and harassment for his benevolence relating to his willingness to help ZIFA when it was in dire financial straits which caused a crisis.

“His company incurred losses by providing substantial loans at zero interest,” Rubaya wrote.