Mandiwanzira application granted

Nokutenda Chiyangwa Herald Reporter
A Harare magistrate yesterday ordered the State to give Nyanga South Member of Parliament and former Information Communication Technology and Cyber Security Minister Supa Mandiwanzira some of the documents he asked for in his application for the release of further particulars in order for him to thoroughly prepare for his trial.

Magistrate Mr Francis Mapfumo ordered the State to provide the employment contract for Mandiwanzira’s personal assistant Tawanda Chinembiri, to confirm whether or not he was a Government employee when he was appointed a ministry representative on the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe board.

The State had only provided confirmation of termination of his contract by the Public Service Commission in September this year.

Mr Mapfumo also told the State to provide a copy of the correspondence between NetOne and the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe relating to exchange control approval for the payment to Megawatt Energy (Pvt) Limited and a copy of minutes held in February 2016.

Mr Mapfumo however dismissed Mandiwanzira’s request for other particulars like a copy of Government procurement procedures and copies of comparative quotations from Detecon of Germany and Sofrecom of France which he said were not necessary in the trial.

His trial is now scheduled to commence on January 21, 2019.

Mandiwanzira is accused of criminal abuse of office after he allegedly engaged South African firm, Megawatt Company to provide services to NetOne without going to tender.

He is also accused of appointing his personal assistant, Tawanda Chinembiri to the Postal Telecommunications and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Potraz) board.