Potraz boss temporarily gets passport back

By Shamiso Dzingire

Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (Potraz) director-general Gift Kallisto Machengete has successfully applied for the temporary release of his passport to allow him to travel for a scheduled government conference in Tanzania.

Machengete is accused of violating the provisions of the Procurement Act after the State dropped the $1,4 million criminal abuse charge last week.

Machengete had sought to have his passport released from yesterday till April 16.

However, prosecutor Zivanai Macharaga objected, saying there was no Cabinet approval authorising Machengete to travel till April 16 as the conference he is attending ends on March 30.

“There is no Cabinet approval … unless he avails documents supporting that he has to travel till April the 16th,” Macharaga said.

Macharaga, however, consented Machengete be given his passport till March 30 to attend the workshop in Tanzania which is already underway.

“The accused person has demonstrated that he is able to surrender his passport after it was released to him when he travelled to Barcelona,” he said.

Machengete will be back on April 5 for trial. DailyNews