Another key State witness exonerates Prisca Mupfumira

A STATE witness in case former minister Prisca Mupfumira is accused of abusing office has made a u-turn on her testimony regarding her conduct in the process that led to the US$3,5 million deal between NSSA and Drawcard Enterprises.

Mupfumira is being jointly charged with Barnabas Matongera for criminal abuse of.

Memory Mukondomi, former finance and administration director in the ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare initially nailed Mupfumira stating that she had pressed for a quick deal between NSSA and Drawcard Investments.

She said Mupfumire had pressed NSSA to sign the deal within 48 hours.

But during cross-examination with Mupfumira's lawyer Admire Rubaya on Wednesday, Mukondoni shifted blame to the then chairman, Robin Vela saying he was the one who gave NSSA a 48-hour deadline.

"No there was no such communication. She would say let's expeditiously enter into the agreement (but) it was not her duty to see into that and she was not the accounting officer at that time," she said.

She said the NSSA board was seized with the mandate to see that the Gweru off-take low-income housing project agreement signed between NSSA and Drawcard Investments was above board.

Mukondomi also said it was not the duty of Mupfumira to see that projects got approval and went through tender processes as she was not the ministry's accounting officer.

She also distanced Mupfumira from playing a role in the payment of US$3,5 million towards the off-take project.

"Everything was the preserve of the accounting officer," she said.

NSSA head of investments and projects Kurauone Chihota has also exonerated Mupfumira saying she was never involved in the process.

The trial continues Monday.