Francis Gudyanga
| Professor Francis Gudyanga Prof | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Francis Pedzana Gudyagnga |
| Occupation |
|
| Years active | 2013-present |
| Employer | Government of Zimbabwe |
| Organization | Ministry of Mines and Mining Development |
| Known for | Being Permanent Secretary of Mines and Mining Development |
Francis Pedzana Gudyagnga is a Zimbabwean academic and former permanent secretary of the Ministry Mines and Mining Development.
Background
Francis Gudyanga was born Francis Pedzana Gudyanga.[1]
Career
Gudyanga was the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development a position he assumed in September 2013. In 2007 he was the Permanent Secretary of Science and Technology Development. He has been a Director of The Dubai Diamond Exchange since November 2013.[1]
Scandal
1,7 million Scandal
The permanent secretary was alleged to have ordered the Minerals Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe (MMCZ) to pay Pedstock, which is a Harare based agricultural firm over $1,3 million presumably for services the firm provided to the Zimbabwe Republic Police's Minerals and Border Patrol Unit.[2]
The police through their national Spokesperson, Charity Charamba denied to have ever done business with Pedstock,
"We have never done any training business with Pedstock. We will need to investigate from our side."
Pedstock also denied providing services to the Minerals and Border Patrol Unit.
Coincidentally, Pedstock supplied and installed irrigation equipment at Gudyanga's farm in Manicaland Province. MMCZ also paid a West Indies based Glamer Limited $575 000, presumably as advance payment for special funding for the Minerals and Border Control Unit. MMCZ in total paid $1 725 million. Gudyanga is yet to comment on the issue.[2]
Criminal Abuse Of Office Conviction & Sentence
On 18 February 2021, Francis Gudyanga was convicted of criminal abuse of office. The Harare Magistrate Court found Gudyanga guilty of corruptly claiming US$29 000 from the Minerals Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe (MMCZ) as sitting allowances on behalf of a board that he had dissolved sometime in December 2013.
Gudyanga, who was the Minerals Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe (MMCZ) board chairman, also ordered the parastatal to pay US$1 629 500 to Glammer (Private) Limited, a foreign firm.
He allegedly instructed the MMCZ to pay Glammer through a local agricultural company, Pedstock Investments. Pedstock was a foreign company.
Gudyanga said that the money was to be accounted for as dividends to the Government of Zimbabwe.
It was later discovered that the money did not have anything to do with the MMCZ and it was not being paid to the government but was a fraudulent arrangement, which Gudyanga had made.[3]
Francis Gudyanga had been arrested for corruption on 15 December 2017.[4]
He was sentenced to four years by Harare Magistrate Barbara Chimboza. Gudyanga sentence was reduced to two and a half years after eighteen (18) months were suspended on condition he restituted the Minerals Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe (MMCZ) a total of US$25 228.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 , Executive Profile Francis Pedzana Gudyanga, Bloomberg, published: No Date Given, Retrieved: June 17, 2016
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 , Takunda Maodza,Perm Sec in 1,7m scandal, Herald, published: June 17, 2016, retrieved: June 17, 2016
- ↑ Ex-Mines secretary Francis Gudyanga convicted, The Chronicle, Published: February 18, 2022, Retrieved: February 18, 2022
- ↑ Takunda Maodza,Prof Gudyanga arrested for corruption, The Chronicle, Published: December 16, 2017, Retrieved: February 18, 2022
