News / National
Ousted Zanu-PF executive wipes out party bank account
22 Nov 2014 at 14:32hrs | Views
AT LEAST $8 200 was immediately withdrawn from the Zanu-PF Manicaland Women's League CBZ account leaving $1 following last Thursday's vote of no confidence passed by the executive against chairlady Joyline Chipo Porusingazi and her vice, Loveness Mutezo, on allegations of fanning factionalism and undermining the authority of President Mugabe.
The shock cash withdrawal was exposed on Wednesday after the league's secretary for finance, Pedigree Matara, was cornered by the interim executive to produce the money which she withdrew from the bank and hid it at her house under a bed.
This prompted 37 members of the executive to immediately pass a vote of no confidence against Matara and called the police to investigate the issue.
The interim executive chaired by Mrs Happiness Faith Nyakuedzwa immediately called for an audit of the league's books and announced that it was pressing criminal charges against Cdes Porusingazi, Mutezo and Matara for abusing and misappropriating party funds.
Police details from the Criminal Investigation Department took Matara and some league executive members to the police station for questioning and to make statements at the end of the tense meeting.
"We are pressing fraud charges against Cdes Porusingazi, Mutezo and Matara for misappropriating our funds.
"We believe several thousands of dollars were used for their personal use. An audit will be carried out that will show how the money sourced by the league was used because they were the ones who withdrew money from the bank. When we asked Matara to tell us how much we had in our account she said we only had a $1; can you imagine?
"We adjourned our meeting and told her to lead us to the bank so that we collect the bank statement and have a view of how the money was withdrawn. Before we got to the bank, she disclosed that she had withdrawn all the money by herself and hid it at her house. We recovered the money amounting to $8 267 under a bed. After we got the bank statement we saw that there were dubious amounts of up to $10 000 that were withdrawn at several intervals by the three. We want answers as to how the withdrawn money was used because from our own understanding that money did not benefit the league," said Nyakuedzwa.
Matara asked for forgiveness from fellow executive members, saying she erred by not informing anyone when she withdrew the money.
When asked by the members how she withdrew the money alone when other signatories were supposed to sign for it, she said she had a blank and undated bank withdrawal slip she used to withdraw the money.
"I am sorry. I thought I was safekeeping the money after the vote of no confidence passed against Porusingazi and Mutezo. I erred by not telling anyone," she pleaded.
The executive members would have none of her pleas and went on to pass a vote of no confidence against her saying her conduct was dubious.
The apparently hard-talking executive members also passed a vote of no confidence against their secretary for production and labour, Febbie Nyahangara, whom they alleged to have played a central role in a vote buying scandal in Nyanga which characterised the league's recently held national elections.
Members from her district, who moved a motion to have a vote of no confidence passed against her, said Nyahangara received money to bribe and house some members at lodges in the resort town during the elections which were marred by controversy.
After passing the vote of no confidence against the two, the members asked the interim chairlady to scrutinise the league's books of accounts and see if the party was not prejudiced of more money.
"We no longer trust the treasurer because party funds were being handled behind our backs.
"For a long time we requested to see the bank statements, but no one gave them to us. We want those books to be audited so that we see how much was misappropriated. If anyone stole from us, they should pay back. We sourced the money from donors, but only a few benefitted from it," fumed an executive member.
The members said people support Zanu-PF, but the party was being destroyed by corruption and greed.
They urged the interim leadership to shun factionalism and ensure that the party delivers on election promises as pronounced in Zim-Asset.
Mrs Nyakuedzwa said the Women's League would be vibrant once more as bad apples are being plucked out, leaving truthful cadres to serve the party.
"Let us work for the party and not ourselves which means that we have to put the interests of the party first. We need to respect each other," she said.
The shock cash withdrawal was exposed on Wednesday after the league's secretary for finance, Pedigree Matara, was cornered by the interim executive to produce the money which she withdrew from the bank and hid it at her house under a bed.
This prompted 37 members of the executive to immediately pass a vote of no confidence against Matara and called the police to investigate the issue.
The interim executive chaired by Mrs Happiness Faith Nyakuedzwa immediately called for an audit of the league's books and announced that it was pressing criminal charges against Cdes Porusingazi, Mutezo and Matara for abusing and misappropriating party funds.
Police details from the Criminal Investigation Department took Matara and some league executive members to the police station for questioning and to make statements at the end of the tense meeting.
"We are pressing fraud charges against Cdes Porusingazi, Mutezo and Matara for misappropriating our funds.
"We believe several thousands of dollars were used for their personal use. An audit will be carried out that will show how the money sourced by the league was used because they were the ones who withdrew money from the bank. When we asked Matara to tell us how much we had in our account she said we only had a $1; can you imagine?
"We adjourned our meeting and told her to lead us to the bank so that we collect the bank statement and have a view of how the money was withdrawn. Before we got to the bank, she disclosed that she had withdrawn all the money by herself and hid it at her house. We recovered the money amounting to $8 267 under a bed. After we got the bank statement we saw that there were dubious amounts of up to $10 000 that were withdrawn at several intervals by the three. We want answers as to how the withdrawn money was used because from our own understanding that money did not benefit the league," said Nyakuedzwa.
Matara asked for forgiveness from fellow executive members, saying she erred by not informing anyone when she withdrew the money.
When asked by the members how she withdrew the money alone when other signatories were supposed to sign for it, she said she had a blank and undated bank withdrawal slip she used to withdraw the money.
"I am sorry. I thought I was safekeeping the money after the vote of no confidence passed against Porusingazi and Mutezo. I erred by not telling anyone," she pleaded.
The executive members would have none of her pleas and went on to pass a vote of no confidence against her saying her conduct was dubious.
The apparently hard-talking executive members also passed a vote of no confidence against their secretary for production and labour, Febbie Nyahangara, whom they alleged to have played a central role in a vote buying scandal in Nyanga which characterised the league's recently held national elections.
Members from her district, who moved a motion to have a vote of no confidence passed against her, said Nyahangara received money to bribe and house some members at lodges in the resort town during the elections which were marred by controversy.
After passing the vote of no confidence against the two, the members asked the interim chairlady to scrutinise the league's books of accounts and see if the party was not prejudiced of more money.
"We no longer trust the treasurer because party funds were being handled behind our backs.
"For a long time we requested to see the bank statements, but no one gave them to us. We want those books to be audited so that we see how much was misappropriated. If anyone stole from us, they should pay back. We sourced the money from donors, but only a few benefitted from it," fumed an executive member.
The members said people support Zanu-PF, but the party was being destroyed by corruption and greed.
They urged the interim leadership to shun factionalism and ensure that the party delivers on election promises as pronounced in Zim-Asset.
Mrs Nyakuedzwa said the Women's League would be vibrant once more as bad apples are being plucked out, leaving truthful cadres to serve the party.
"Let us work for the party and not ourselves which means that we have to put the interests of the party first. We need to respect each other," she said.
Source - manicapost
