By A Correspondent | ZimEye | The state has withdrawn before plea, charges against former Harare Town clerk Hosiah Chisango and his three alleged accomplices who were accused of facilitating the US$9 million streetlights tender deal in favour of a company owned by businessmen Moses Mpofu and Mike Chimombe.
Chisango was jointly charged with Arkims Mandaza, Denford Zhungu and Tawanda Mutenhabundo.
Only one Jabulani Mukomazi who was part of the tender evaluation team was indicted for trial at the High Court.
His trial commences on March 10 at the High Court.
It is State’s case that Chisango wrote to the ministry of Local Government requesting advance payment for the company, Juluka Endo so that they can commence the rehabilitation process, but the money was not paid out.
April 19, 2024, an evaluation committee sat and awarded Syvern Investments, Exodus and Company, Ship Tracks and Onel Engineering the tender to rehabilitate eight of the 10 lots.
“Due to limitation, no company was awarded with more than two (2) lots, therefore, two of the 10 lots were not awarded.
“However, the accused working in connivance proceeded to unprocedurally award the tender of the remaining lots to Juluka Enndo Joint Venture, disregarding the dictates of the general procurement provisions which requires the procurement to be done through a competitive bid- ding process.
“They further disregarded their earlier decision to disqualify Juluka Enndo Joint Venture for having failed to meet the bid requirements. Further, the accused awarded the tender to Juluka Enndo Joint Venture whose owners also owns Synlak (Pvt) Ltd, a company which had been previously awarded a tender for a biogas digester in 2019 and failed to deliver.
“This was contrary to the standard bidding document condition which provided that bidders who had bad records in execution of city of Harare works were not eligible,” the State alleges.
The State further alleges that Mandaza drafted the contract between city of Harare and Juluka Project and Plant Hire represented by Moses Mpofu, notwithstanding the fact that they had used a wrong procurement method and without seeking exemption from the Procurement Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Praz).