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Nyore Madzianike Senior Court Reporter

AN engineering consultant yesterday told the court that he is the one who recommended former Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) board chairperson Stanley Kazhanje to provide consultancy services to businessman Wicknell Chivayo’s Intratrek Zimbabwe in the Gwanda Solar project.

Eng Farai Mukotsa, who worked as an electrical engineering consultant for Africa Infrastructure Consultancy, said he recommended Kazhanje to provide the technical services.

He told Harare regional magistrate Mr Ngoni Nduna that there was nothing amiss in engineers from their company receiving payment for services rendered in their personal bank accounts during the time they engaged Intratrek in the Gwanda Solar Project.

Eng Mukotsa said this while testifying in the matter in which Chivayo and his company are jointly charged with bribery. They are alleged to have bribed Kazhanje with US$10 000 to award them a tender for the solar project.

Chivayo and his company are denying the charges.

Said Eng Mukotsa: “I met Chivayo in 2013 for the Gwanda Solar project. I later recommended Kazhanje to provide technical services as I was overwhelmed with work. Payments were made into my account for services I would have provided and some of it came in cash as allowances.” 

Asked by Chivayo’s representative, Advocate Slyvester Hashiti during cross-examination, whether Kazhanje was the ZPC board chairperson when he recommended him or not, Eng Mukotsa said he did not think that he was.

Mrs Cecilia Mashingaidze appeared for the State.