Staff writer
For allegedly abusing his office as a public officer, Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) board chairman Mr Callisto Mazorodze Jokonya was a few days ago arraigned before the courts. He was facing the charges of renewing an employee’s contract without following the correct procedures.
He appeared before Harare magistrate Mrs Rumbidzai Mugwagwa while Mrs Francesca Mukumbiri prosecuted the matter.
The court heard that during the period from May 24 to June 27 this year, at the Zimra offices in Harare, Jokonya allegedly abused his duty by showing favour to Happier Kuzvinzwa when he facilitated the renewal of his contract of employment as commissioner customs and excise which was expiring on May 31.
It is the State’s case that pursuant to his corrupt act and taking advantage of his position as board chairman of ZIMRA, Jokonya wrote a letter dated May 24 to Finance and Economic Development Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube, who is the appointing authority claiming he had made due consultations with all ZIMRA board members and they had agreed that Kuzvinzwa’s contract be renewed for another four year-term. The letter was written on May 24 this year.
While acting on misrepresentation of information, Minister Ncube approved the contract renewal on May 28, 2019. After he got the approval from the minister, Jokonya with his authority then instructed the Commissioner-General of ZIMRA, Ms Faith Mazani, to prepare a contract of employment for Kuzvinzwa.
Knowing the company’s procedures when doing contract renewals, Ms Mazani allegedly refused to comply with the instructions since there was no board resolution prior to Kuzvinzwa’s renewal of contract.
Moreover, having seen that he had failed to convince Mazani, Jokonya got a contract of employment which he countersigned and was witnessed by some external lawyers for Kuzvinzwa.
The correct procedure is that, such kind of contracts are signed by the Commissioner-General and witnessed by human resources director or the chairperson of human resources committee.
Meanwhile, Jokonya is facing two counts and on the second count the court heard that on June 12, Jokonya allegedly convened a board meeting in an effort to ratify his actions of recommending the renewal of Kuzvinzwa’s contract of employment without a board resolution. During the board meeting, some members suggested that legal opinion be sought to clarify on how to proceed since the Finance and Economic Development minister had already approved basing on the accused’s sole recommendation.
Jokonya went on abusing his office as ZIMRA board chairperson by personally procuring consultancy service from Caleb Mucheche Partners Law Chambers without going through the correct procedure again of using the procurement management unit.
This clearly showed his personal interest for Kuzvinzwa and to cover up his sole recommendation of renewing Kuzvinzwa’s employment contract without obtaining a board resolution.
Mrs Mugwagwa, granted him $5 000 bail and ordered him not to attend any ZIMRA board meetings or even to visit ZIMRA premises.
As part of his bail conditions, Jokonya was ordered to surrender his passport to the clerk of court, report once every Friday at Norton Police Station, to reside at his given address and not to interfere with State witnesses.
The matter was deferred to September 18, 2019 for routine remand.
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