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Court Reporter
The Zimbabwe Prison and Correctional Services has lost US$1,8 million in a scam involving inflated prices for goods and services by its staff. This emerged at the Harare Magistrates’ Courts last week where two company directors who allegedly influenced ZPCS officials to unprocedurally award tenders to them were charged with bribery.

Sospark Trading (Pvt) Ltd director Edson Bhurisa (23) and Serbs Enterprises (Pvt) Ltd director Lucia Muramba (25) appeared before Harare magistrate Mr Tendai Mahwe.

They appeared in court separately and were remanded to February 20 on US$100 bail.
Mr Mahwe ordered them to surrender their passports to the court, report every Friday at CID Frauds, reside at their given addresses and not to interfere with witnesses.

They were both represented by Ms Rekai Maposa.
Prosecutor Mr Farai Gatsi alleged that sometime in June 2013, Bhurisa and Muramba approached the ZPCS Matabeleland region procurement department and influenced Mehluli Dube, an official there, to award their companies tenders.

Dube allegedly offered to facilitate the transaction and made arrangements for them to deposit the kickbacks into his bank account.
On July 17 last year, it is alleged, Dube unprocedurally awarded tenders worth US$9 987,50 and US$9 961 to the two companies.
Muramba deposited US$1 500 in Dube’s account and Bhusira deposited US$510, the court heard.

The State papers showed that ZPCS lost US$1,8 million in such scams taking place at its different depots.
The alleged offence came to light following investigations carried out by ZPCS internal security personnel, leading to Dube’s arrest.