THE directors of Aman Obrie Investments that owns Makwe Mines in Gwanda have accused Transport minister Obert Mpofu of duping them into selling their gold claims to his family-owned mining venture.

Makwe Mines has 36 gold mining claims. The directors, Lungisani Ncube and Lovemore Kutamahufa, accused Mpofu of sending his two personal aides to masquerade as genuine investor representatives to negotiate the acquisition of a stake in Makwe Mines in 2012 when he was still the Mines minister.

Ncube said the two representatives introduced themselves as representing Akjert Mining (Pvt) Ltd and straight away indicated that they had been mandated to negotiate a takeover of the mine saying “their principals would want a scenario where they fully run the mine without my involvement and I was not happy with the arrangement”.

Akjert Mining is owned by the Mpofu family with the minister’s wife Sikhanyisiwe and daughter Nomsa registered as the sole directors of the company, according to a CR 14 certificate Southern Eye gleaned at the Registrar of Companies offices in Bulawayo.

Ncube said the initial proposal was for him to sell the majority of the shareholding to Akjert while retaining a 15% stake. He was also offered $100 000 monthly for an unspecified period, but he declined. After rejecting the takeover proposals, Ncube said he then received a call from Mpofu who advised that it would be best for him to sell the mine and move somewhere else as he would have bagged a lot of money.

Ncube said Mpofu also warned him that his ministry (Mines and Mining Development) was likely to take over the mines with time. “We started to negotiate on the selling price and I said I wanted $2,5 million,” said Ncube.

“The representatives said they wanted to consider and consult the minister and I waited for them to do so.On the other side the minister was phoning me to check on the progress and was also urging me to reach an agreement of sale,” said Ncube.

“We negotiated and negotiated until they dropped me to agree on $700 000.” He said they then advised him to open a ZABG Bank (now Allied Bank) account because it would be faster and easier for them to make payments to him. Mpofu acquired ZABG in 2012 and rebranded it to Allied Bank.
Ncube said when he asked the representatives to bring the investors so they could sign the agreement of sale, the representatives said they were appointed directors of the investors and had authority to sign the agreement.

He said they were not worried about not being furnished with Akjert Mining company documents because “we believed the minister would ensure everything goes smoothly”. Ncube said it was only when they were following up on payments that they discovered the two investor representatives they had negotiated with were actually Mpofu’s personal driver and his secretary stationed at York House in Bulawayo.

York House is owned by the Mpofu family. According to Ncube, the agreed purchase price of $700 000 was to be paid as follows: $150 000 upon signing of the agreement; $100 000 on or before the end of October 2012; the balance of $450 000 to be paid in four consecutive monthly instalments of $100 000 with effect from June 2013. Ncube said Akjert Mining only paid $150 000 deposit and reneged on paying the balance of $550 000, resulting in Makwe Mines going to court for recourse.

When contacted for comment about Ncube’s allegations on Wednesday, a fuming Mpofu retorted: “Why are these guys coming to you (Southern Eye)? Why are they not going to settle this with the contracted company? Are you going to pay them?”

The matter is still to be heard at the Bulawayo High Court and is currently at the pre-trial conference stage. Ncube and Kutamahufa are being represented by Robert Ndlovu while Joel Pincus represents Akjert Mining.

Last year he tried to take the matter to the police accusing Mpofu of illegally mining at his claims, but was told it was a civil matter. According to correspondence seen by Southern Eye, the matter was handled by the police’s Matabeleland South Border Control and Mineral Unit co-ordinator identified as Superintendent T Moyo.

“The office acknowledges receipt of your letter dated 27th day of September 2013 on the above mentioned subject matter,” he wrote. “Having gone through your letter, this office has observed that the matter is of a civil nature and you are accordingly advised to approach the courts for redress.
“The memorandum of agreement of sale of the mining claims you entered into with Akjet Mining Pvt Ltd gave them the right to carryout mining operations.

“Therefore the mining is not illegal until the agreement of sale is cancelled. Respectfully referred.”

PROMINENT Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) manager and radio announcer Simon Pashoma Ncube, who is accused of raping a 15-year-old girl at Frontline Hotel in Chivhu, was yesterday released from custody on $100 bail.
The Radio Zimbabwe announcer, who is being represented by Lucky Mauwa, was allowed to be tried from home after the Prosecutor General’s Office consented to his release on bail. As part of his bail conditions, Pashoma was ordered not to interfere with known State witnesses and to reside at his house in Chitungwiza until the finalisation of the matter.

Ncube (56) was on Tuesday this week remanded in custody after his bail application was dismissed by resident magistrate Archie Wochiunga. His trial is set to start on February 27. The announcer is being charged with one count of rape or alternatively having sexual intercourse with a minor.

Trustees of Marange-Zimunya Community Share Ownership Trust gobbled about US$45 000 that was donated by diamond mining companies in Chiadzwa towards the scheme on allowances, training and travelling, parliamentarians heard yesterday.

Appearing before the parliamentary portfolio committee on Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment chaired by Gokwe-Nembudziya MP Justice Mayor Wadyajena (Zanu-PF), the said trustees confessed they were still to start projects on the ground, but US$45 000 had already been spent.

Trustee chairperson Chief Marange, Chief Zimunya, secretary to the trust Mr Shepherd Chinaka and other officials said they had received US$400 000 from Mbada Diamonds and Marange Resources in June last year for the trust. Mr Chinaka said they also got an extra US$17 000 after investing the money while waiting to start the actual projects.

They disclosed this after MPs grilled them on why the total amount had come down to US$371 000 yet no projects had started on the ground.

“When Parliament summons you, we expect you to tell the truth because you are under oath and if, by any chance, it is discovered that you lied under oath then you will be arrested,” warned Cde Wadyajena.

Makoni West MP Kudzanai Chipanga and Chipinge South representative Cde Enock Porusingazi demanded that the officials give a breakdown of how they spent the money and to avail the receipts.
“Income-Mbada (Diamonds) US$200 000, Marange Resources US$200 000, interest on current account US$123, interest on investment US$17 475, total US$417 598.

“Expenditure-bank charges US$345, stationary US$201, training US$12, 943, travelling and subsistence US$14, 404, fuels and oils US$448, board fees US$17 336. Total expenditure US$45 677. Balances at bank US$371 921.

“That is the breakdown I can give but I do not have the receipts at the moment,” Mr Chinaka said.
He said five board members were paid US$250 per month, while the chairperson, Chief Marange, was paid US$280 monthly.

MALAWIANS will troop to the polls on May 20 amid fears the elections will be rigged in favour of incumbent President Joyce Banda whose ruling People’s Party (PP) is accused of siphoning state funds from the national purse to bankroll the party’s election campaign.

Current developments in Malawi confirm the electoral shenanigans exposed by the Zimbabwe Independent last year in which Banda hired expertise from the Zimbabwean government, accused of rigging last year’s July 31 elections, for assistance with the forthcoming crucial polls.

Chaos is brewing as opposition political parties in Malawi are questioning the teaming up of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) with the country’s electoral body, alleging it is a conspiracy to rig the May 20 polls in favour of Banda.

Last year this paper reported Banda had roped in her new close ally President Robert Mugabe’s government and shadowy Israeli security company Nikuv International Projects to computerise the country’s home affairs department and supply voter registration cards in preparation for the May elections.

Investigations also revealed the Malawi government sent a team for attachment to the Zimbabwe Registrar General’s office to familiarise themselves with the new computerised voter registration system. Last week’s reports that the Malawi Electoral Commission (Mec) has requested assistance from their Zimbabwean counterparts, Zec, torched a storm with opposition parties calling for the police to launch an investigation amid rigging fears.

Mec claimed it had received 350 tents as well as about 10 000 gas lamps from Zec but the opposition is worried, claiming there could be more to this than meets the eye.
However in an interview on Wednesday Malawi government spokesperson Brown Mpinganjira said preparations for elections were going on well and Mec operated as an independent body.

“Preparations are at an advanced stage and political parties are submitting their nomination papers,” said Mpinganjira. “The issue of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission in assisting Malawi should not be a cause for concern because we have always had good relations with other countries in the region and this does not mean they interfere with the electoral process,” he said.

Mpinganjira added: “Our electoral process was done in a transparent manner because we have a new voters’ roll after the old one was discredited by government and civic organisations.”
He however dismissed reports that the chaos that spoiled the voter registration exercise was a way of disenfranchising eligible voters so as to sway the vote in Banda’s in favour. The civic organisations have also voiced their concerns following last week’s announcement that it would take a week to announce the winner of the presidential race in the elections.

The head of the Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace in Malawi, Chris Chisoni said his organisation was on alert and would deploy observers throughout the country.
“We are aware of the complaints raised in the media given the perception that Zimbabwe’s elections were not free and fair hence Mec’s involvement with Zimbabwe raises eyebrows,” Chisoni said.
Malawi Electoral Support Network boss Steve Duwa said his organisation has already deployed long term observers and questions were being raised concerning Zimbabwe’s role in the polls.

“People wanted to know that apart from those lamps and tents, what else the government is borrowing from Zimbabwe,” Duwa said.

Zec chairperson Rita Makarau confirmed there has been collaboration between the two “sister election management bodies”. “They (Mec) asked for assistance and we provided 8 000 gas lamps and a team from Malawi was in the country for training in election management,” Makarau said.

“The Malawian Electoral Commission also asked for our results management forms to see if they suit their election process. These are forms that are used for the transmission of results from different centres.”

Malawi’s elections are already marred by complaints regarding the allegedly bloated figure of total registered voters and a chaotic voter registration exercise — which also marred polls in Zimbabwe last year — that took three false starts.

In addition, the Malawi Congress Party also alleged that the ruling PP has purchased police uniforms to be used by civilians during the election, as part of the rigging process.
Sources say Banda’s government wants Nikuv, which launched its activities on the African continent in 1994 in Nigeria and has since expanded its operations to Zimbabwe, Zambia, Ghana, Lesotho, Botswana and Angola.

The official also claimed Banda’s relationship with Mugabe was motivated by the desire to ensure she remained in office.
“We have lost confidence in Banda and we hope our candidate (Atupele Muluzi, son of former president Bakili Muluzi) will not lose due to fraud as Mugabe has a reputation of rigging elections,” the official said. independent

Her name was Serenity — something she barely knew in her short life.
Serenity Brown, just shy of her second birthday, was possibly beaten to death by her father, then sliced up and fed to a pit bull in July 2006, according to law enforcement sources and documents. But authorities didn’t learn about the giggly toddler’s disappearance until five years later — and are still trying to close the ghastly cold case in which a body was never found and no suspect ever arrested.

City social workers discovered the child was missing during a 2011 visit, and cops opened an investigation into her mother’s claims about the horrors that went down in a Brooklyn apartment. Little Serenity was listening to her mother, Paula Johnson, read a story inside their Canarsie apartment when, according to Johnson, her ex-con dad, Edward (Chuck) Brown, flew into a rage over the child’s laughter, law enforcement sources said.

A single punch to the chest left the helpless baby unresponsive, Johnson told investigators. Johnson claimed Brown snatched Serenity’s limp body from the mom’s arms, carried his daughter into the bathroom, put her in the tub and filled it with water, sources said. He allegedly fetched a knife from the kitchen, turned up the volume on the radio and told Johnson to stay in the bedroom before carving up the dead child, sources said.

Johnson told investigators Brown then fed the girl’s remains to a pit bull, a source said. An anonymous caller last year claimed the crime was covered up when Brown then executed the dog. The start of the probe was delayed for five years, as investigators only learned about Serenity’s disappearance in October 2011. Social workers visited the mom’s new address 5 miles away in Flatbush after a report that Johnson, 35, was keeping her 12-year-old son home from school.

While at the Coney Island Ave. home, the workers came to the horrible realization that Serenity — while listed as receiving public assistance — was nowhere to be found, records from the Administration for Children’s Services show. Johnson initially claimed Serenity was with her paternal grandmother in Alabama before coming clean about her daughter’s gruesome demise.

The mother claimed Brown, 34, killed the child and “they had discarded the body,” according to the ACS documents. Serenity’s paternal grandmother, Alfreddia Norris, told the Daily News that the NYPD came to her Alabama home looking for Serenity in 2011. Norris, whose son lives nearby, said she hadn’t seen the baby since the girl was 3 months old. “I’d like to know what happened to her,” said Norris. “Where is she?”

The grandmother defended her son against the homicide allegations, suggesting the mother was to blame. “Why did she say that and then say that he had her down here?” Norris said. “She’s the one folks need to be talking to.” Repeated attempts to reach Serenity’s parents were unsuccessful. Neither has been charged with a crime.

Some people have spent thousands to look like Barbie and Ken, others hanker after Cheryl Cole’s dimples. But this man, 43-year-old Diablo Delenfer – real name Gavin Paslowone from Kent has spent thousands of dollars, £10,000 specifically, to transform himself into a living, breathing devil from hell.

The divorced father-of-two says his difficult, really expensive transformation began in 2007 and so far, he has had his tongue forked, his teeth turned into razor-sharp fangs and horns that poke from his forehead,
Now, he wants to have screws implanted into his skull in a bid to create a devilish metal Mohawk!

See more photos below...

“I chose to become the Devil Man because everything else has been done, whether here or in America. I’m not satanic at all – it’s just a piece of fun. I’m pleased with my look so far, but what I really want is a tail. And not just a synthetic one – a proper, organic tail.”

Delenfer has since had his ears made pointy and endured a series of painful tattoos that now cover his face and arms. However, looking like Lucifer has made his quest to find a girlfriend – somewhat difficult.

Innocent Mavhunga

Suspended Air Zimbabwe (Private) Limited chief executive Innocent Mavhunga (53) and his predecessor Peter Chikumba have been arrested on fraud allegations. On Wednesday, company secretary Grace Nyaradzo Pfumbidzayi (48) was also arrested on similar charges.Chief police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba yesterday confirmed the arrests, saying they were in possession of six reports detailing alleged fraud at Airzim.

Sources told The Herald that the reports pertain to procurement, maintenance of aircraft and insurance, among others.
Potential total prejudice runs into millions of US dollars.

“The ZRP would like to confirm that Peter Chikumba and Innocent Mavhunga have been arrested in connection with the ongoing investigations into the Air Zimbabwe (Private) Limited fraud case.

“Chikumba, a former chief executive of Air Zimbabwe from September 2007 to December 2010, and Innocent Mavhunga, the suspended chief executive, are Grace Nyaradzo Pfumbidzayi’s accomplices in the fraud case,” Snr Asst Comm Charamba said.

Pfumbidzayi was arrested on Wednesday on six counts of fraud and one of criminal abuse of duty as a public officer for allegedly swindling the airline of more than €5 895 695 and US$1 298 827.

The three are assisting police with investigations and will appear in court once these are concluded.
In apparent reference to reports that police were dragging their feet on investigating corruption in public offices, Snr Asst Comm Charamba said: “The ZRP would like to put it on record that investigations are first conducted before picking up any suspects for prosecution.

“In the case of Air Zimbabwe, a report was made on January 3, 2014 with no forensic audit report available.
“When the report was later supplied, police had to expertly sift through and analyse six voluminous reports to establish a prima facie case against the accused.”


Peter Chikumba

She said police were fully aware of their constitutional mandate and would not hesitate to arrest anyone who commits a crime.
“In as much as we are all concerned with the Air Zimbabwe fraud case, police are appealing to the public and any interested parties to co-operate and allow the ongoing investigations to proceed smoothly,” Snr Asst Comm Charamba added.

Pfumbidzayi was accused of fraud in an audit report compiled by BCA Forensic Auditors last year.
The report recommended Pfumbidzayi’s arrest together with Mavhunga, human resources manager Oswald Madziwa, finance, administration manager Patience Tichagwa and strategy and economics boss Norbert Machingauta.

Acting general manager Nicholas Mujere, former finance and corporate services manager Oswell Matore, as well as Givemore Nderere (Navistar Insurance Brokers managing director), Vukile Hlupo (Navistar director) and Orton Mawire (Navistar finance director and company secretary) were also fingered.

Pfumbidzayi’s arrest came barely a week after the airline’s disciplinary tribunal, chaired by Harare lawyer Mr Wellington Pasipanodya of Manase and Manase, found her guilty of fraud and acting contrary to her contract of employment.

It was established that she played a pivotal role in facilitating that the airline pay inflated amounts to Navistar between 2009 and 2013, resulting in the airline losing €4 461 672.

According to the report, Pfumbidzayi also appointed Navistar as Airzim’s aviation insurance brokers on March 18, 2009 without following procedures prescribed by law and company policy.

In addition, she authorised payment of a fraudulent invoice valued at US$142 300 from Navistar, thereby prejudicing the already struggling airline.

Pfumbidzayi — according to the papers — was part of a fraudulent transaction that saw her authorising debit notes from Navistar amounting to US$1 062 370,52 for aviation insurance cover for two A320 airbuses from November 2011 to April 3, 2012.
But auditors found that the airbuses in question had not yet been bought and that they were only received in January and July 2012.

She was also found to be part of a fraudulent transaction in which €713 921,04 was released by the airline to pay insurance cover for three MA60 aircraft to Navistar when the planes were already covered by Colemont Insurance Brokers’ debit notes.
Mr Mavhunga is accused of theft and fraud involving US$11 460 448.

Dr Kereke

The Zimbabwe Revenue Authority says a firm owned by Bikita West legislator Dr Munyaradzi Kereke owes US$4 million in unpaid taxes over the last three years. Zimra has since started serving garnishee orders on RMC Hospital’s debtors to recover the money. Taxes allegedly owed are around US$3,2 million, and the rest is made up of penalties for non-payment of taxes.

The garnishee orders prompted Dr Kereke to approach the High Court yesterday seeking his own order to stop the process until a separate appeal against the tax assessment is finalised.

Zimra has since November last year blocked cash-flows due to RMC Hospital by issuing garnishee orders to the hospital’s major trade debtors, such as Cimas, Premier Service Medical Aid Society and Stanbic Bank, to collect tax liability to the tune of US$3 297 103, 62.
The taxes include Pay As You Earn, and income and withholding taxes.

The dispute was brought for hearing before Justice Martin Mafusire and was deferred to a later date because RMC lawyer Advocate Lewis Uriri was not available to argue the matter.

Zimra lawyer Advocate Thembinkosi Magwaliba said he needed more time to peruse the answering affidavit filed by RMC’s legal team.
Dr Kereke lodged an appeal with Zimra against the tax assessment on the same day the garnishee orders were issued. The appeal is still pending.

According to the law, the appeal must be decided within three months and the prescribed period has not yet elapsed.
In his interdict application, Dr Kereke wants the court to protect his medical institution from what he termed “illegal act of victimisation, vindictive abuse of office and breach of constitutional rights”.


He said he has facts proving that Zimra’s actions were a hatchet job meant to cripple and destroy his personal and business interests.
“The effect of the garnishees has been to completely paralyse the hospital’s operations,” said Dr Kereke.

“This has seen the hospital failing to procure medical drugs and food for patients currently admitted in its wards, exposing the lives of those patients to grave fatal danger.

“The pharmacy has had to close. The oncology unit will have to close to the prejudice of cancer patients.”
Dr Kereke argued that given Zimbabwe’s corporate income tax rate at 25 percent, the calculation by Zimra that tax payable is US$3 297 103, 62 translates to an alleged implied gross profit position of US$13 188 414. 48.

This, he said, was impossible given the infancy of the hospital which started operating in 2010.
Dr Kereke further argued that like any other business operating in the country where the financial system was characterised by a crippling liquidity crunch, RMC Hospital had arrears to Zimra amounting to US$246 234,15; PAYE tax of US$139 591,48; and value added tax of US$106 642,67.

Zimra, he argued, had already collected over US$300 000 through the garnishees.
“As a new hospital in the country, which my family established as a response to Government’s noble call for the private sector to complement Government efforts in building infrastructure systems for social services, RMC Hospital is still making losses and formal books of accounts proving this position were submitted to respondent in normal course of the statutory returns for tax accounting,” he said.

But Zimra argued that it acted in terms of the law in effecting the garnishees. The tax collector says it invoked Section 69 of the Income Tax Act, which allows the revenue authority to directly recover payment from a taxpayer’s debtors.

RMC consists of a hospital and a 24-hour emergency unit which employ about 220 workers.
The hospital recently set up an oncology centre for cancer patients.

Mr Munodaishe Munodawafa
Government has said dualisation of the Harare-Beitbridge Road will start soon after resolving a dispute with ZimHighways Consortium, a grouping of local firms, to push the stalled project forward. The project has stagnated for 12 years because ZimHighways, awarded thetender in 2002, allegedly struggled to secure funding.

In an interview yesterday, Secretary for Transport and Infrastructural Mr Munodaishe Munodawafa said Government requested the Tender Board to withdraw the tender in December 2012 and the consortium sought relief from the courts.


As a result of the impasse, dualisation of the Bulawayo-Plumtree Highway started and was completed while the Harare-Beitbridge project lay idle.

The dispute has been resolved and work should start soon, said Mr Munodawafa.
“We believe that we will be able to resolve the issue outside courts. Development is better than litigation,” he said.
He said most of the members of the consortium had withdrawn their court cases and Government was “hopeful that this issue will be resolved and we will be able to move on with the project”.

The consortium in the US$600 million project is led by Costain Africa and includes Murray & Roberts, Kuchi Construction, BancABC, Tarcon Civil Construction and Mining Group, and Joina Development.

Dualisation of the Harare-Beitbridge Highway is one of Government’s priority projects. The current single carriageway road is blamed for the high number of traffic accidents on the road.

Source: Herald