Former State Procurement Board chairperson arrested

Former State Procurement Board (SPB) chairperson Charles Tawonerera Kuwaza has been arrested on five counts of corruption involving over $1 million and ZW$2,5 billion, which he committed while at the helm of the enterprise.

Kuwaza is now on a life support system at Metropolitan Clinic battling for his life after he suddenly fell seriously ill soon after his arrest on Wednesday.

The clinic ward where Kuwaza is admitted was yesterday briefly converted into a court room as Harare provincial magistrate Mr Elisha Singano held remand proceedings.

Mr Singano remanded Kuwaza at his hospital bed to today for bail hearing at the magistrates' courts, which would be held in his absentia.

The defence lawyer Advocate Thabani Mpofu instructed by Mr Thabelani Nleya of Gill, Godlonton and Gerrans is representing Kuwaza.

Kuwaza was arrested on Wednesday and before he was booked for detention at Harare Central holding cells, his condition suddenly deteriorated and was rushed to Metropolitan Clinic.

The prosecutor Mr Sebastian Mutizirwa told the court that Kuwaza was once employed by the Office of the President and Cabinet (OPC) as SPB executive chairman from September 1, 2001 to November 27, 2015.

He alleged that during his tenure of office, Kuwaza engaged in criminal activities to the prejudice of the State, allegations which stemmed from the transactions that were unearthed by an OPC special audit.

According to the indictment, Kuwaza is facing one count of theft, two counts of fraud and two counts of criminal abuse of duty as a public officer.

On count one, it is alleged that during his term of office, Kuwaza received on behalf of the SPB a donation of Toyota Land Cruiser Prado registration number AAV 0184 from the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe.

Instead of handing the vehicle to SPB, Kuwaza allegedly converted it to his personal use, prejudicing the SPB of the vehicle valued at $120 000.

On count two, Kuwaza, being a public officer, allegedly acted contrary to his duties by ordering SPB's payroll officers not to deduct Pay As You Earn from his taxable benefits without proof of an appropriate tax directive from Zimra, resulting in the tax collector garnishing SPB's accounts a total of $869 820 as recovery of the untaxed benefits.