News / National
Senior Zimbabwe Prison Services bosses up for fraud
02 May 2011 at 07:15hrs | Views
SOME senior Zimbabwe Prison Service (ZPS) officers are facing prosecution for allegedly defrauding the institution of thousands of United States dollars through shady deals involving suppliers of some local products, it has emerged.
Although the actual figures could not be immediately ascertained, it is understood the ZPS has already blacklisted the suppliers.
Information gathered last week indicates that the alleged fraud ' stretching back to last December ' came to light after a forensic audit revealed anomalies in the ZPS procurement and finance department's books.
It is understood the officers would connive with shelf company owners to inflate the prices of certain goods.
They would then, it is alleged, surreptitiously purchase the products from the firms at the obtaining market price and pocket the difference.
ZPS Deputy Commissioner (Administration) Aggrey Machingauta said the officers faced disciplinary action.
"The Commissioner of the Zimbabwe Prison Service (Retired Major-General) Paradzai Zimondi ordered me to carry out the audit after a report from the Ministry of Justice and Legal Affairs indicated discrepancies in the procurement and finance books," he said.
"The audit revealed that some of our officers were working in cahoots with certain company owners. They would approach a firm that charged exorbitant prices for particular goods and later pocket the difference.
"For instance, they opted to purchase a US$15 bag of cement, yet the market price for the same product is US$8. Imagine? The officers would approach a company selling a loaf of bread at US$2 instead of US$1!"
Dep Comm Machingauta said although the amount of money lost through the scam was still to be determined; the probe had restored transparency in the procurement system.
"Disciplinary action is going to be taken against those involved. At the same time, we have blacklisted all the companies they connived with.
"We have withheld a number of vouchers and will engage the firms to settle bills at the stipulated market price." Sources said the alleged fraud was only the tip of an iceberg.
Although the actual figures could not be immediately ascertained, it is understood the ZPS has already blacklisted the suppliers.
Information gathered last week indicates that the alleged fraud ' stretching back to last December ' came to light after a forensic audit revealed anomalies in the ZPS procurement and finance department's books.
It is understood the officers would connive with shelf company owners to inflate the prices of certain goods.
They would then, it is alleged, surreptitiously purchase the products from the firms at the obtaining market price and pocket the difference.
ZPS Deputy Commissioner (Administration) Aggrey Machingauta said the officers faced disciplinary action.
"The audit revealed that some of our officers were working in cahoots with certain company owners. They would approach a firm that charged exorbitant prices for particular goods and later pocket the difference.
"For instance, they opted to purchase a US$15 bag of cement, yet the market price for the same product is US$8. Imagine? The officers would approach a company selling a loaf of bread at US$2 instead of US$1!"
Dep Comm Machingauta said although the amount of money lost through the scam was still to be determined; the probe had restored transparency in the procurement system.
"Disciplinary action is going to be taken against those involved. At the same time, we have blacklisted all the companies they connived with.
"We have withheld a number of vouchers and will engage the firms to settle bills at the stipulated market price." Sources said the alleged fraud was only the tip of an iceberg.
Source - TZN
