Munodawafa faces fresh charges

Fungai Lupande Court Reporter
Secretary for Transport and Infrastructural Development Munesushe Munodawafa was on Monday summoned back to the Harare Magistrates Court to stand trial in a fraud case involving $305 000.

However, Munodawafa was freed again after his lawyer Mr Jonathan Samukange submitted that they were given a short notice.

This comes barely a week after regional magistrate Mr Hoseah Mujaya removed Munodawafa from remand to allow the State to put its house in order.

The State will proceed by way of summons again.

Munodawafa who is accused of ordering Air Zimbabwe to pay Navistar Insurance Brokers for no reason, was yesterday removed from remand.

Prosecutor Mr Timothy Makoni, alleged that on November 3, 2009 an MA60 aircraft was involved in an accident at the Harare International Airport after hitting wild pigs.

The aircraft was a complete write-off and the airline was paid $6,1 million by its London re-insurer, Chartis Insurance Company.

On April 23, 2010 Chartis Insurance made a counter claim of the same amount against CAAZ for their negligence in failing to ensure that the runway was safe.

The claim included $2 419 724 for loss of business by Airzim.

CAAZ, which is Government-owned, approached Munodawafa’s office for assistance and he in turn appointed Navistar Insurance Brokers to go to London and negotiate an out-of-court settlement without going to tender, it is alleged.

At the time of Navistar’s appointment, Munodawafa was fully aware that CAAZ’s insurance broker was Marsh Insurance Brokers.

Upon the return of Navistar from London, Munodawafa wrote to the then Airzim Accounting Officer, Innocent Mavhunga, directing him to pay Navistar a “success fee” of $305 000.

It is alleged there was no logic for Munodawafa to appoint Navistar for the task when CAAZ’s broker was Marsh Insurance Brokers.

Furthermore, the service rendered by Navistar was to be paid for by CAAZ and not Air Zimbabwe.

Following the MA60 accident, Munodawafa on April 18, 2013 personally negotiated a lease of an Embraer plane from Solenta Aviation of South Africa through his friend Ben Dahwa.

He allegedly directed Mavhunga to rent the plane from Solenta Aviation without going to tender.

The plane was leased for six months.

Dahwa was paid $10 200 as “finder fee”.