adminMunyaradzi Musiiwa Midlands Correspondent
TWO State witnesses in the ongoing Mnene Mission Hospital $400,000 scam trial yesterday refused to testify, saying they were not aware of the allegations that are being levelled against the hospital administrator and two junior officials from the Ministry of Health and Child Care.
Mnene Mission Hospital administrator Ziboniso Noel Moyo, Ministry of Health and Child Care national procurement officer, Wilbert Madenga, and national projects and planning officer, Richard Dharara, have pleaded not guilty to three counts of criminal abuse of office as public officers before Gweru regional magistrate, Morgan Nemadire.
State witness Innocent James, the deputy director for Administration and Logistics in the ministry, refused to testify professing ignorance over the matter.
He stated that he could only give a general overview of the guidelines of how public funds should be used.
James said he only learnt about the alleged misappropriation of funds through state-owned newspapers that unearthed the rot after a visit by Mberengwa legislator, Tafanana Zhou.
He suggested that the then District Medical Officer and the then hospital’s Medical Superintendent be summoned to court to testify in the matter.
“Your worship I’m not aware of the allegations being levelled against the three accused men.
“I know the second accused person (Richard Dharara) from college as he was my classmate at the University of Zimbabwe and a workmate at head office.
“I only learnt of the allegations through newspapers,” said James.
Another State witness Tafara Muvirimi, who is also a deputy director hospital planning in the ministry, said he could not testify as he was not aware of the allegations being levelled against the trio.
Nemadire asked the State why they were not summoning the District Medical Officer and the hospital’s medical superintendent to testify since they were being implicated.
The State led by Fred Kadodo, however, requested for more time to summon another witness before closing the State’s case.
“Your worship, may I please be given ample time to summon another State witness”.
The matter was remanded to today for continuation of trial.
Allegations are that the three officers connived to forge the permanent secretary’s date stamp to approve tenders, resulting in the Lutheran run institution being prejudiced of about $400,000.
The State alleges that Dharara, Moyo and Madenga did something contrary to or inconsistent with their duty as public officers. It is alleged that sometime in November 2011, Mnene Mission Hospital sought to buy a 110-litre autoclave machine and Moyo wrote a letter to the Ministry of Health and Child Care permanent secretary seeking authority to quote a complete tender from Masvingo Provincial Hospital instead of seeking authority from the State Procurement Board.
Moyo went to Dharara and the two connived to use the already processed tenders from United Bulawayo Hospitals and Chitsungo Mission Hospital.
He then paid $64,634,25 for the machine, whereas the market price was $10,500.
In October the same year, Mnene Mission Hospital sought to procure a ceiling mounted x-ray, a mobile x-ray and an x-ray processor.Dharara granted the authority to purchase medical equipment, leading to Mnene awarding tenders to Capital Transfer for the supply of the ceiling mounted x-ray valued at $180,000 and Food Miles Trading for the supply of the x-ray processor valued at $40,500.
The market price for the ceiling mounted x-ray was $83,000 and that of the x-ray processor was $7,000.
The trio used the same method to inflate prices for the renovations of the hospital.
The rot was unearthed by Mberengwa North MP Cde Tafanana Zhou in May last year when he had gone on a fact-finding mission following water problems at Mnene Hospital.
Online Reporter