Munodawafa trial set for February

Fungai Jachi Court Correspondent
The trial date of Transport and Infrastructural Development Permanent Secretary Munesushe Munodawafa, who is facing two counts of criminal abuse of office, has been set for February 29 next year.

This follows the ultimatum the State was given by Harare magistrate Mr Elijah Makomo last month.

Mr Makomo had warned the State that failure to provide Munodawafa with a trial date on December 3 this year, would leave the court with no option but to remove him from remand.

The prosecutor, Ms Sharon Mashavira, alleged that Munodawafa ordered Air Zimbabwe to pay Navistar Insurance Brokers an unexplained $305 000 in a suspected case of abuse of office.

It is alleged that on November 3 2009, an MA60 aircraft was involved in an accident at the Harare International Airport when it hit wild pigs that had strayed onto the runway.

The aircraft was a write-off and Air Zimbabwe 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 failing to ensure the runway was safe at all times.

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

CAAZ, which is Government-owned, approached Munodawafa’s office for assistance.

He 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.

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

It is alleged that there was no logic in Munodawafa appointing Navistar when CAAZ’s broker was Marsh Insurance.

Further, the service rendered by Navistar should have been paid for by CAAZ, not Air Zimbabwe.

Following the MA60 accident, Munodawafa on April 18 2013 personally negotiated the 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 with another payment of a “finder’s fee” of $10 200 to Dahwa every month.

A forensic audit report by BCA Forensic unearthed the alleged transactions.