News / National
State case against Dr Parirenyatwa crumbles
12 Oct 2023 at 17:09hrs | Views
The state's case against former Health and Child Care Minister Dr David Parirenyatwa is faltering.
This follows one of the key state witnesses and former Natpharm board chairperson Dr Goerge Washaya's refusal to accept a statement recorded by the police.
Dr David Parirenyatwa (middle)
Dr Washaya whilst under cross examination from Advocate Mehta Deepak who is under instruction from Mr James Makiya, has disowned his statement and accused the police of tampering with it.
The former Natpharm board chairperson said the statement before the court and attributed to him differed materially from his actual original statement.
He said when the police took his statement, they brought a document which he signed but did not bother to scrutinise it first after trusting the company's legal advisor, who told him to just sign the statement.
Dr Washaya said the statement was recorded during Dr Parirenyatwa's tenure as Health and Child Care Minister when three CID agents came to his surgery with an already written document before they got his version of events.
He exonerated the former minister of influencing the appointment of Mr Newman Madzikwa to the post of Natpharm managing director and indicated that it was a decision that was made by the Ministry of Health and Child Care without the accused's influence.
Dr Parirenyatwa is facing charges of criminal abuse of office as a public officer by appointing his suspected relative Madzikwa to the post of Natpharm managing director.
Dr Washaya additionally told the court that Mrs Florah Nancy Sifeku who was replaced by Madzikwa was no longer competent as she had served for more than 12 years at the company which is against the regulations.
Washaya went further to clear Parirenyatwa of any wrong doing and described him as the best ever minister for the ministry.
Mr Brian Vito of the President's special anti-corruption unit maintains that Parirenyatwa was complicit in the unlawful appointment of Mr Madzikwa at a time Mrs Sifeku's contract was still subsisting leading to government paying two salaries towards one post thereby prejudicing the state.
This follows one of the key state witnesses and former Natpharm board chairperson Dr Goerge Washaya's refusal to accept a statement recorded by the police.
Dr David Parirenyatwa (middle)
Dr Washaya whilst under cross examination from Advocate Mehta Deepak who is under instruction from Mr James Makiya, has disowned his statement and accused the police of tampering with it.
The former Natpharm board chairperson said the statement before the court and attributed to him differed materially from his actual original statement.
He said when the police took his statement, they brought a document which he signed but did not bother to scrutinise it first after trusting the company's legal advisor, who told him to just sign the statement.
He exonerated the former minister of influencing the appointment of Mr Newman Madzikwa to the post of Natpharm managing director and indicated that it was a decision that was made by the Ministry of Health and Child Care without the accused's influence.
Dr Parirenyatwa is facing charges of criminal abuse of office as a public officer by appointing his suspected relative Madzikwa to the post of Natpharm managing director.
Dr Washaya additionally told the court that Mrs Florah Nancy Sifeku who was replaced by Madzikwa was no longer competent as she had served for more than 12 years at the company which is against the regulations.
Washaya went further to clear Parirenyatwa of any wrong doing and described him as the best ever minister for the ministry.
Mr Brian Vito of the President's special anti-corruption unit maintains that Parirenyatwa was complicit in the unlawful appointment of Mr Madzikwa at a time Mrs Sifeku's contract was still subsisting leading to government paying two salaries towards one post thereby prejudicing the state.
Source - zbc
