HCC executives denied bail

The High Court has denied bail to three City of Harare executives accused of criminal abuse of office for allegedly awarding a tender to refurbish street lights to Juluka Enndo Joint Venture improperly.

Jabulani Mukomanzi, Denford Zhungu, and Tawanda Mutenhabundo had their bail application rejected by Justice Benjamin Chikowero. The trio, who were members of the City of Harare's tender evaluation committee, are accused of awarding the tender to Juluka Enndo in violation of procurement regulations that required a competitive bidding process.

Court documents reveal that Juluka Enndo is owned by Moses Mpofu, who is currently imprisoned. The executives are alleged to have ignored a prior decision by the same committee to disqualify Juluka due to non-compliance with tender requirements. Additionally, Mpofu's other company, Synlak (Pvt) Ltd, was awarded a US$1 million contract for a biogas digester but failed to deliver.

Initially, the executives' bail request was denied by the magistrate's court on grounds that they might not attend trial if granted bail. They subsequently appealed to the High Court, but Justice Chikowero ruled that their appeal failed to address the core issues of the lower court's decision.

Justice Chikowero highlighted that Mukomanzi had attempted to obstruct the investigation by misleading officers about the location of crucial documents. The judge noted that Mukomanzi misrepresented the whereabouts of the documents, which were found on his desk, and only released them when confronted.

The judge expressed concerns that Mukomanzi's actions demonstrated an attempt to interfere with the investigation and potentially influence witnesses. “Mukomanzi's attempt to conceal evidence, if successful, would have benefited all three appellants,” Justice Chikowero stated.

The judge further noted that Mutenhabundo, an engineering technician, had previously endorsed Juluka Enndo's capability to refurbish the street lights, adding weight to the prosecution's case. The evidence suggested a strong likelihood of conviction, with the possibility of a custodial sentence.

In light of these factors, Justice Chikowero dismissed the bail application, maintaining that the risks of interference and obstruction were too significant to grant bail.