Fugitive CIO boss nabbed, taken to court

A former Deputy Director of the Central Intelligence Organisation, who fled to Canada 11 years ago after allegedly committing fraud, has been extradited to face trial in Zimbabwe.

Lovemore Mukandi was arrested on arrival at the Harare International Airport last week. Mukandi, who had an outstanding arrest warrant, faces fraud charges involving millions of Zimbabwe dollars.

He appeared before Harare magistrate Mr Donald Ndirowei yesterday and was remanded in custody to rule on the defence application seeking to annul the warrant. His lawyer Mr Nickel Mushangwe yesterday made an application for cancellation of the warrant.

He argued that the warrant was unprocedurally issued. However, prosecutor Mr Tapiwa Kasema opposed the application arguing that it had no merits. He further submitted that the warrant was properly issued after an application was made before the courts.

After hearing arguments from both counsel, Mr Donald Ndirowei adjourned the matter to today for ruling.

According to the State, Mukandi and his accomplices, Rick Mubvumbi, former chief transport officer, David Nyabando, former chief administration officer in the same organisation and a businessman Mohamed Ahmed Meman, were removed from remand in 1999.

The State was ordered to proceed by way of summons. It is alleged in 2000, the State was ready to proceed to trial and failed to locate Mukandi in a bid to furnish him with a trial date. The State successfully applied for Mukandi’s warrant of arrest. The State said his three accomplices are yet to be summoned to court since they were waiting for Mukandi’s arrest.

It is the State’s case that in 1996, the CIO undertook a project to construct five low-density houses in Harare so as to generate income through leasing of properties. It is alleged Mukandi was given the task to implement the project and then asked Mubvumbi and Nyabando to assist him.

The trio then corruptly contracted African Timber and Builder suppliers Pvt Ltd, which was owned by Meman without going to tender. Meman, it is alleged, submitted a quotation, of Z$16 106 559 for the construction of the houses and later subcontracted the project to Mubvumbi’s company, Mubcon Engineers and Contractors.

Mubvumbi, it is alleged, never declared his interest to his superiors. It is the State’s case that between 1996 and 1998, the quartet misrepresented to the organisation that Z$16 106 559 which was initially quoted by Meman was insufficient to construct the houses.

The CIO was forced to top up another Z$16 773 784,32. It then made payments totalling Z$32 879 343,32 to Meman’s companies in the form of cheques, it is alleged. After the payment, the State alleges that the quartet started withdrawing money from one of the company’s account through purchasing of houses, building materials, household goods and payment of services rendered with cheques.

Mukandi corruptly benefited from the scam and bought building materials worth Z$15 826,16, a stand in Mandara and two vehicles valued at Z$1 630 000,00, it is alleged. Mubvumbi, the State says, acquired security doors for his private office and bought a lorry. He benefited Z$728 900,00 from the scam.

Nyabando was given Z$1,7 million by Meman to build his house and he also bought bricks, glasses for his house and paid for a garden landscape. The State further said that Meman also benefited from the scam as he bought three houses, paid Z$230 000 for tourist expenses and gave four people loans using the money.