ZIMRA Board Chair Hauled To Court Over Abuse Of Office
7 September 2019
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By A Correspondent| Zimra Board Chairman Callisto Mazorodze Jokonya on Friday appeared in court for renewing an employee’s contract without following due process. 

Mr Jokonya who is out on $5000 bail is facing 2 counts of abuse of duty as a public officer.

It is the state’s case that in June 2019 Mr Jokonya showed Happier Kuzvinzwa favour by causing the renewal of his contract which has expired on 31 May. 

Its alleged Jokonya wrote a letter to Mthuli Ncube who is the appointing authority saying he had had consultations with the Zimra board and they had agreed to reinstate Kuzvinzwa and Mthuli subsequently approved the contract renewal.

The Board Chair then used the approval letter from Prof Ncube to instruct the Zimra Commissioner-General to draw a contract for Kuzvinzwa and she refused since there was no board resolution to that effect.

Jokonya then drew a contract for Kuzvinzwa and co-signed it in front of external lawyers.

On the second count, Jokonya wanting to ratify his mistake then called a board meeting to delibarate on the issue of Kuzvinzwa’s contact, some board members then suggested that legal opinion be sought since Prof Ncube had already approved his contract renewal. 

Reported a local publication:

“Jokonya then allegedly abused or took advantage of his office as Zimra board chairperson by personally procuring consultancy service from Caleb Muchecche Partners Law Chambers without going through the standard procedure of using the procurement management unit.”-StateMedia