Mupfumira Claims Innocence In Graft Allegations
Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Prisca Mupfumira pleaded not guilty when she appeared before a Harare magistrate on Friday.
She is facing allegations of prejudicing the economy of over $100 million.
Mupfumira was arrested on Thursday by officers from the newly-reconstituted Zimbabwe Anti-corruption Commission (ZACC).
Mupfumira’s defence counsel, led by David Chinyama argued:
She did not benefit anything in her capacity from all the alleged offences involving the National Social Security Authority (NSSA) funds.
HOT DEALS:
itel A70 - (128GB, 3GB RAM) $89,
itel A70 - (256GB, 4GB RAM) $99
itel P40 (128GB, 4GB), (6000mAh) $99
itel P40 (64GB, 4G), (6000mAh) $93
Cash on Delivery in Harare & Bulawayo. Tinotumira kwamuri inosvika.WhatsApp: 0783 450 793
… The state relies on what it terms verbal directives. No cent went to the accused. Nssa is an authority run by a board of directors. No money is released to anyone without the authority of the board not (even) from a government minister.
What we have here is purely a civil matter between Nssa and MetBank which is being brought to criminal courts through the back door. It is wrong.
The accounting officer has to come and explain these payments. Nssa is run by a board of directors which approves any disbursements before the money is released.
The minister is not an accounting officer of her ministry. If there was an application for a loan to purchase a vehicle that application was not done by the minister but by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry.
Further to that, the vehicles were not allocated by her but the ministry.
If there was an abuse of office it should be the Permanent Secretary. The Permanent Secretary does not report to the minister but the Office of the President and Cabinet.
Therefore if NSSA wants to claim any money it should look at government for repayment since it is NSSA’s major shareholder.
She did not receive any cash except serve for a few transactions which indicated that she was paid money for allowances while on government duty.
