Africa-Press – Zimbabwe. By Staff Reporter
HARARE magistrate, Marewanazvo Gofa was Thursday told of how Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZimStats) Director General, Taguma Mahonde abused his powers to get away with crimes he allegedly committed at his workplace.
Mahonde, 53, was remanded in custody after the State opposed his bail.
The investigating Officer, Eric Chacha told the court that Mahonde would threaten his subordinates and also unfairly suspended ZimStats’ head of the internal audit department, Claudius Matiza.
This was after he established that Matiza had reported his alleged crimes to the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC).
Mahonde is facing fraud, contravening the Prevention of Corruption Act and an alternative charge of obstruction of justice.
He will be back in court on October 2 for a bail ruling.
During the bail hearing, Chacha said Mahonde was feared and would threaten ZACC’s witnesses into silence or hiding if granted bail.
“The degree of interference is so severe to the extent that the accused found some tactics and used his position as the Director General of ZimStats to fire the witness (Matiza) from work. Realizing that Matiza was working with ZACC, he found some dubious charges and caused the witness to be suspended.”
Chacha said after firing Matiza, Mahonde allegedly called him threatening to deal with him.
It is alleged that he said, “I will get bail like what the NSSA boss and the clerk of Parliament did and once I’m back at work I will deal with you accordingly.”
Chacha said if Mahonde is released, he might go back to his workplace and continue to intimidate his subordinates and they will not assist ZACC.
“You could even tell during the interviews of the subordinates that they were being interviewed under threat and fear as they were always saying that they would be facing the challenges Matiza is going through. They are afraid of the accused.” Chacha said.
Mahonde is accused of squandering Zimstats US$4 000 by claiming school fees allowance for a non-existent child.
It is further alleged that when ZACC’s investigations into his alleged corruption started in March this year, he tried to cover up his offense by refunding ZW$756 047.33 but it amounted to US$826 as he had used the interbank rate of $915.
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