Zimpapers Logo

Geraldine Zaranyika Herald Reporter
Former Zimbabwe National Road Administration (Zinara) board chairman Albert Mugabe’s case of criminal abuse of office was postponed last week as the witness, Chenai Chiketsani, was not available due to family commitments.

Mugabe is alleged to  have authorised and tendered false letters of undertaking to set off a mortgage loan facility without his board’s approval.

The State, led by Nyikadzino Machingura, applied for the postponement of the matter to another date, saying he received a letter from Chiketsani indicating that she had family commitments in Masvingo.

Harare magistrate Mr Lazini Ncube postponed the matter to Wednesday for trial continuation.

The court heard that on March 30, 2017, Zinara’s human resources committee deliberated through a round-robin resolution, the acquisition of a mortgage loan from CBZ Bank in respect of former chief executive Nancy Chamisa-Masiyiwa.

The State alleged that the six-member human resources committee unanimously recommended to Zinara board for approval to secure a mortgage loan scheme not exceeding $300 000 with CBZ Bank for a housing loan benefit in line with Zinara’s policy manual.

It is alleged that on April 5, 2017, Mugabe wrote a letter of undertaking for a mortgage loan to CBZ Bank for Chamisa-Masiyiwa, indicating that the Zinara board had authorised the former CEO to enter into a housing loan scheme with the bank, adding that Zinara undertook to pay off the mortgage facility if Chamisa-Masiyiwa’s contract expired during subsistence of the mortgage loan.

Mugabe is said to have been fully aware that the Zinara board had not approved the loan facility.

The court heard that on April 11, 2017, Mugabe wrote another letter to CBZ Bank, advising that Zinara board had approved to set off the $300 000 mortgage loan facility in the event Chamisa-Masiyiwa accrued arrears and termination of her contract of employment, when in actual fact Mugabe knew the board had not authorised such.