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Nyore Madzianike Senior Court Reporter
A procurement director and an accountant in the Ministry of Defence and War Veterans Affairs yesterday appeared in court for allegedly defrauding the ministry of $306 135 for cleaning services at Defence House.

Peter Muchakazi and Kunofiwa Mervyn Madondo appeared at the Harare Magistrates’ Courts charged with fraud and alternatively criminal abuse of office.

They were not asked to plead to the charges when they appeared before magistrate Mr Francis Mapfumo who remanded them to January 23.

Magistrate Mapfumo ordered Muchakazi to deposit $5 000 bail while Madondo was ordered to pay $3 000.

The two were also ordered not to visit Defence House, unless accompanied by the investigating officer.

State counsel, Miss Audrey Chogumaira alleged that from March to June last year, the two connived with Danison Muvandi, who is on the run to defraud the Ministry of Defence by lying that Defence House had received cleaning services from Maids on Wheels (Private) Limited when no such services had been awarded or rendered.

Muchakazi allegedly sourced five fake invoices with a total value of $306 135 and originated loose minutes dated June 19, 2019 addressed to the director of finance and human resources, Muvandi, who is the owner and signatory to the Maid on Wheels account.

Muchakazi then allegedly attached the five invoices to the minutes with instructions for payment of $306 135 for the cleaning services without attaching the required award-of-tender letter specifying the job done and signed by the chairman of the procurement management  unit.

On June 20, 2019, Madondo, in pursuit of their common purpose, reportedly posted the payment request to the chief accountant who acted upon the misrepresented minutes and posted the documents to pay $306 135 into Maid on Wheels’ FBC account.

Investigations revealed that no requisition was raised by the procurement management unit for cleaning services and there was no tender awarded to Maid on Wheels.