GMB boss arrested over $1m
GRAIN Marketing Board official Mr Basilio Sandamu has been arrested for allegedly defrauding the parastatal of over $1 million in a State land deal.
Mr Sandamu recently appeared in court and is out of custody on $500 bail.
It is alleged that in April 2013, the non-executive director connived with GMB Pension Fund CEO Mr Taona Munzvadi to enter a fraudulent agreement of sale of Romany Farm for $2,5 million. The 197-hectare Romany Farm was acquired by the State in terms of the Land Acquisition Act (Chapter 20:10) and through Extraordinary Government Gazette General Notice 591 of 2001 under deed of transfer 5421/99.
In July 2002, Mr Korbs Mutandiro, who is jointly charged with Mr Sandamu, allegedly fraudulently acquired 51 percent of the shares of Romany Farm from the previous farm owner, Mr David John Sheehanm, for a purported value of ZW$5 million.
Messrs Sandamu, Munzvadi and Mutandiro reportedly hatched a plan to sell the State land to GMB Pension Fund for $2,5 million, of which $1 million was transferred to Organs Resources Private Limited, where Mr Mutandiro is a director.
“When the accused person (Sandamu) connived to sell the farm, he knew that the farm was State land acquired in terms of the Land Acquisition Act (Chapter 2010) through Extraordinary Government Gazette General Notice 591 of 2001 dated 16 November 2001 and that he had no certificate of no present interest which is issued by the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture and Rural Resettlement and is a statutory requirement in the disposal of land in terms of the Land Acquisition Act as read with Section (2) and (3) of Statutory Instrument 287/1999, Land Acquisition (Disposal of Rural Land) Regulations, 1999,” reads part of court papers.
“As a result of accused person’s action, GMB Pension Fund suffered a potential prejudice of $2 500 000 and actual prejudice of $1 040 000 and nothing was recovered.”
In a separate case, the Zimbabwe Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission has launched an investigation into Minerals Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe acting general manager Ms Nomsa Moyo for allegedly overpaying ex-company boss Mr Onesimo Moyo.
According to a legal opinion by lawyers at Mutamangira and Associates, Ms Moyo paid $240 633,17 and fuel valued at $3 903, 05 to Mr Moyo without authority after the latter’s contract had been terminated by MMCZ in 2011.
“She also gave to Mr O M Moyo property belonging to the Minerals Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe Management Services (Private) Limited without authority. That is clear misappropriation,” wrote Mutamangira and Associates.
“This is the nub of the charges against Ms N Moyo. There is a strong basis for finding her guilty of misconduct on the basis that: (a) the items that she paid out were not part of the agreement signed by the parties.
“(b) The agreement had been signed by six persons, including the parties involved and their legal practitioners and thus it is strange for Ms Moyo to purport to be more meticulous and attentive than everyone else.”
Zacc investigators recently told The Sunday Mail that they were keen on interviewing Ms Moyo over the allegations.
Ms Moyo could not be reached for comment by the time of going to print.