Kasukuwere allocated week of prosecution

By Tarisai Machakaire

President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s Special Anti-Corruption Unit has dedicated a week to prosecute former Local Government minister Saviour Kasukuwere on corruption charges.

Kasukuwere is now being represented by Charles Chinyama after Jonathan Samukange renounced agency last week.

He appeared before Harare magistrate Elisha Singano and was advised that his trial would run from October 29 to November 2 in the Special Anti-Corruption courts.

Allegations against Kasukuwere are that in 2012, the government ran an indigenisation programme and required negotiating with foreign-based companies such as Unki Mine, Zimbabwe Platinum Mines, Mimosa Mining Company and required brokering services.

The court heard that Kasukuwere was minister of indigenisation then and presided over a meeting that appointed Manyere’s Brainworks (Pvt) Ltd to do the brokering services and financial advisory to government.

Kasukuwere reportedly flouted tender procedures in appointing Manyere’s company contrary to his duties as the minister.

It was further alleged that between February 2016 and March 2017, Kasukuwere directed allocation of three pieces of land to former first lady Grace Mugabe’s sister, Shuvai Gumbochuma for development into residential stands.

The court heard that in 2015 Gumbochuma had applied for land to former minister Ignatius Chombo’s office but had failed to raise $424 426 which was the purchase price.

However, the court heard, Gumbochuma did not have the capacity to pay the amount nor develop the land and created a company called Scanlen (Pvt) Ltd as an alleged means to further her fraudulent plans.

Between August and October 2017, Gumbochuma then sold the land to N-Frays for $2 060 000 without paying for the land.

The court heard that N-Frays then paid the intrinsic land value to the ministry and gave the balance to Gumbochuma.

According to State, Gumbochuma erred by distorting the value of State land from $424 426 to an inflated value of $2 060 000.

Using the same modus operandi, Gumbochuma misrepresented that Rodonior (Pvt) Ltd was a registered company knowing that it was not.

She reportedly applied for land under that company and was allocated 150 hectares in Good Hope.

Checks that were later made with the Registrar of Companies unearthed that Rodonior was not registered. DailyNews