Online Reporter
Zvikomborero Parafini
THERE was a time when Valentine’s Eve used to represent a time when Moses Mpofu and his wife Nobukhosi would rekindle their romance.
But, things have changed.
Last year, the couple would not do that as Mpofu was in remand prison during his trial where he was eventually convicted of fraud.
Mpofu is now serving a lengthy jail term.
This year, the couple will meet on Valentine’s Eve.
But, this meeting will be within the walls of a courtroom where romance is the last thing that will be on the minds of the accused people.
Mpofu and Nobukhosi will be in court for indictment in the businessman’s second fraud trial, which is set to be heard in the High Court.
Mpofu and Nobukhosi are being charged with the businessman’s brother, Vusimuzi James Mpofu.
The two are co-directors of Mpofu’s company Synlak (Pvt) Ltd and they appeared before Harare regional magistrate Jessie Kufa yesterday.
They were remanded to February 13. Mpofu is appearing on behalf of his company and in his personal capacity. The complainant is the State, represented by City of Harare Acting Town Clerk, Mabhena Moyo.
The court heard that in December 2013, the City of Harare received a grant award of EUR €350,500.00 from the European union for the design and construction of 4 by 200m3 biogas digesters and the supply, installation and commissioning of 100KVA biogas generator for Mbare biogas project.
The City of Harare then entered into a grant contract with the European union represented by the European Commission.
On January 30 2015, City of Harare representatives held a meeting with the European union Delegation, represented by Mr Jorge Pereiro, Mr Severin Mellac and Mr Martin Zhou.
The agenda of the meeting was to deliberate on the progress in the implementation of the Bio-Based Waste Management Project that was being funded by the EU.
A notice from the European union Delegation was issued on the February 15, 2015 authorising the City of Harare to launch a public tender to select a suitable civil works contract for the project on condition that the contract should be awarded by March 31, 2015.
Vusumuzi was appointed the Project Supervisor on that meeting.
The court heard that four companies – Synlak (Pvt) Limited, The Mongrel Investments (Pvt) Limited, Sneydon Investments (Pvt) Limited and Contech Contractors (Pvt) Limited – responded to the tender invitation.
Mpofu and his accomplices pledged that they would submit an invoice for payment within 60 days after the installation and commissioning of the biogas plant and that their prices will be valid for 90 days during which the project will be completed.
Upon signing of the contract, Mpofu and his accomplices allegedly wrote a letter to the Tendai Kwenda the then Director of Finance for the City of Harare who is yet to be arrested, requesting for a phased payment schedule with an advance payment of US$186 116.00, no invoice was raised.
This was done notwithstanding that the tender was awarded on the basis that the bidder had pledged that they had financial the muscle to carry out works to commissioning before making claims for payments.
