Judge cautions Minister Obert Mpofu

Former Mines and Mining Development Minister Obert Mpofu authorized payment of $600 000 as legal fees to a Harare law firm for work done for the ministry without satisfying himself that the work had actually been done, the High Court heard yesterday.

The revelations were made during the fraud trial of Core Mining director Lovemore Kurotwi and former Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation chief executive Dominic Mubaiwa in which Minister Mpofu is a State witness.

During the trial, Justice Chinembiri Bhunu warned Minister Mpofu against being sarcastic in answering questions, urging him to take the proceedings seriously.

Minister Mpofu, a State witness, was under cross-examination by Defence lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa when questions surrounding the payment of the US$600 000 were put to him.

Mtetwa wanted the minister to explain why he instructed the firms to pay the money without delay when he was not sure of the actual work done by the lawyers.

Minister Mpofu said the lawyers had been contracted by the Attorney-General's Office to do the ministry's work and he was simply acting on a bill brought before him.

Chief law officer Chris Mutangadura objected to the defence's line of questioning, saying the questions were unfair as they were tantamount to invading the lawyer/client confidentiality between Government and its lawyers.