The Communication and Allied Services Workers Union of Zimbabwe (CASWUZ) has filed a report to the police alleging embezzlement of funds by Lovemore Matombo, accused of clinging onto the union’s leadership.
Matombo was deposed from CASWUZ in 2015 after a vote of no confidence was passed on him, as the union’s president.
He has, however, declined to leave office.
Filed under case number 1658/2/17, CASWUZ’s interim executive vice president, Biggie Antonio, is alleging that Matombo abused the union’s funds to service legal debts accrued in his protracted fight with the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU).
Matombo had a lengthy legal battle with ZCTU after he was booted out as president of the main labour body in 2011.
The legal fight raged on for almost half a decade until it was finalised in ZCTU’s favour in 2015.
He was then ordered to meet the legal costs incurred by all the parties amounting to over US$60 000.
In a bid to shield his personal property from attachment, Matombo is alleged to have turned to CASWUZ’s coffers to offset the debt.
“What boggles the mind is that Matombo got embroiled in a feud with ZCTU in his own (personal)capacity and not on behalf of CASWUZ and now he is unilaterally diverting the union’s funds to offset his personal legal bill,” alleged Antonio.
CASWUZ bank statements from Standard Chartered Bank Africa Unity Square Branch reveal that amounts ranging between US$400 to US$1 500 were transferred to various legal practitioners.
Matombo declined to comment.
He said: “Your publication wants to destroy me….why are you always after Matombo? Were you employed there to write bad things about me? Can’t you find better things to report on?” Financial Gazette
