NSSA accountant charged in connection with GM Manase “corruption”
Erasmus Mavondo, an assistant accountant at the National Social Security Authority (NSSA) appeared in court on Tuesday on allegations of corruptly pampering the authority’s general manager Arthur Manase with a personal loan to buy a top of the range car using undervalued exchange rates.
Manase has since been sent on forced leave amid massive allegations of corruption and corporate malpractice investigations against him. The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) is investigating the matter.
Mavondo appeared at the Harare Magistrates Court charged with criminal abuse of duty as a public officer.
The accused allegedly allowed Manase to buy a new Mercedes Benz E53 AMG for ZWL25 351 418.60 instead of ZWL60 251 593.80, which was equivalent to US$178 000 the purchase price of the car in question.
He allegedly prejudiced NSSA of ZWL34 900 175 in the process.
It is further alleged that Mavondo converted the US$178 000 using an exchange of March 31 of 1:142 instead of 1:138 as at June 21, 2022.
Nehanda Radio, since May this year, exclusively made several reports exposing how the management at NSSA was busy pleasing top bosses through hefty allowances despite failing its mandate of establishing sustainable social security schemes for civil servants in Zimbabwe.
This publication had it on record that Manase received a US$750 000 housing loan and continued to receive a monthly US$2 500 housing allowance to service the loan despite the fact that he already owns a home. Five luxury vehicles had since been allocated to him.
ZACC is seized with the matter and preliminary reports are yet to be released.
But Nehanda Radio understands that top executives also received loans ranging from US$60 000 to US$100 000 and top of the range latest land discovery vehicles after receiving loans under the influence of Manase who has since been suspended.
Manase is also accused of restructuring influential positions such as financial director, head of audit, and head of procurement at NSSA in order to puppeteer his launchpad for alleged looting.
He allegedly redeployed or fired all employees who opposed his illegal moves.
This comes at a time when pensioners with more than 20 years of service are paid a pittance ranging from ZWL14 025 to ZWL34 000, but NSSA directors and former directors are reportedly paid yearly holiday allowances of US$15,000 per individual, as well as high unlimited school fees allowances running into millions of US dollars per year.
