News / National
Push for Gono's arrest
27 Jun 2014 at 15:49hrs | Views
FORMER Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Governor Dr Gideon Gono's advisor, Dr Munyaradzi Kereke, has written to the police and the Prosecutor-General's Office seeking the arrest and prosecution of his erstwhile boss over alleged fraud involving more than $400 000.
Dr Kereke claimed that Dr Gono deducted tax amounting to $411 310 from his exit package which he never remitted to the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority.
He also copied a letter to Zimra Commissioner-General Gershem Pasi.
Dr Kereke retired from the RBZ in January 2012 and was awarded a gross exit package of $1 361 310, including benefits for eight years of service as advisor to Dr Gono.
He took home $950 000 after the taxes were deducted.
Dr Kereke also accused Zimra investigations department official Mr Paul Chingosho of criminal abuse of office in the manner he handled his taxes.
He said Dr Gono and Mr Chingosho connived and lied to Zimra that after getting his exit package, he did not pay the taxes.
"Dr Gono deducted and withheld $411 310.00 from my exit package, but never sent the money to Zimra," he said.
"Instead, he callously and shamelessly lied that I was paid gross and did not pay taxes.
"This is criminal. The question is where did Dr Gono put this money which he took from me purporting that it was going to Zimra?"
Dr Kereke accused Dr Gono of being dishonest.
"Dr Gono, a man of his calibre, elected to crucify me through blatant lies that he paid me gross without deducting taxes," he said.
"The level of dishonesty and culture of telling lies to the machinery of Government is eternally destructive and must not be allowed to happen more so when such people aspire to take positions of authorirty in Government."
Dr Kereke said this resulted in Zimra wrongfully penalising him by placing his RMC Hospital under sanctions by imposing 100 percent penalties arguing that his funds invested in the hospital from the exit package had not been taxed.
"This wrongful treatment is all as a result of Dr Gono's cruel, heartless lies which even today he still presents and circulates to high offices in Government," he said.
Dr Kereke accused Mr Chingosho of supporting Dr Gono's assertion that he did not pay the taxes.
He said he wrote several letters to Dr Gono, RBZ and its lawyers, which were also copied to Zimra, but Mr Chingosho never bothered to correct the anomaly that was brought to his attention.
Dr Gono's lawyer, Mr Tawanda Chitapi, yesterday said he had not been made privy to Dr Kereke's letter.
He confirmed that he brokered the termination of employment for Dr Kereke as the RBZ lawyer.
"The terms of the agreement were drafted by myself and the agreement itself contains a non-disclosure clause and that clause binds me, which means I am bound by professional privilege and ethics not to divulge contents of that agreement," he said.
Dr Kereke's contract, which was supposed to end in 2015, was prematurely terminated in 2012.
Dr Kereke and Dr Gono are already embroiled in an acrimonious feud over many issues, with several court battles still pending.
Dr Kereke claimed that Dr Gono deducted tax amounting to $411 310 from his exit package which he never remitted to the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority.
He also copied a letter to Zimra Commissioner-General Gershem Pasi.
Dr Kereke retired from the RBZ in January 2012 and was awarded a gross exit package of $1 361 310, including benefits for eight years of service as advisor to Dr Gono.
He took home $950 000 after the taxes were deducted.
Dr Kereke also accused Zimra investigations department official Mr Paul Chingosho of criminal abuse of office in the manner he handled his taxes.
He said Dr Gono and Mr Chingosho connived and lied to Zimra that after getting his exit package, he did not pay the taxes.
"Dr Gono deducted and withheld $411 310.00 from my exit package, but never sent the money to Zimra," he said.
"Instead, he callously and shamelessly lied that I was paid gross and did not pay taxes.
"This is criminal. The question is where did Dr Gono put this money which he took from me purporting that it was going to Zimra?"
Dr Kereke accused Dr Gono of being dishonest.
"The level of dishonesty and culture of telling lies to the machinery of Government is eternally destructive and must not be allowed to happen more so when such people aspire to take positions of authorirty in Government."
Dr Kereke said this resulted in Zimra wrongfully penalising him by placing his RMC Hospital under sanctions by imposing 100 percent penalties arguing that his funds invested in the hospital from the exit package had not been taxed.
"This wrongful treatment is all as a result of Dr Gono's cruel, heartless lies which even today he still presents and circulates to high offices in Government," he said.
Dr Kereke accused Mr Chingosho of supporting Dr Gono's assertion that he did not pay the taxes.
He said he wrote several letters to Dr Gono, RBZ and its lawyers, which were also copied to Zimra, but Mr Chingosho never bothered to correct the anomaly that was brought to his attention.
Dr Gono's lawyer, Mr Tawanda Chitapi, yesterday said he had not been made privy to Dr Kereke's letter.
He confirmed that he brokered the termination of employment for Dr Kereke as the RBZ lawyer.
"The terms of the agreement were drafted by myself and the agreement itself contains a non-disclosure clause and that clause binds me, which means I am bound by professional privilege and ethics not to divulge contents of that agreement," he said.
Dr Kereke's contract, which was supposed to end in 2015, was prematurely terminated in 2012.
Dr Kereke and Dr Gono are already embroiled in an acrimonious feud over many issues, with several court battles still pending.
Source - The Herald
