Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development deputy director roads division, Enerst Shenje, who was arrested by the Zimbabwe Anti-corruption recently for allegedly claiming false payments for property owners affected by the Mbudzi interchange project, has been granted bail.
The presiding magistrate, Donald Ndirowei, granted Shenje US$500 bail and also ordered him to report to ZRP Ruwa once a week.
Shenje is accused of forging compensation agreements to fraudulently benefit from the Government’s programme to fund property owners affected by the project.
It is alleged that Shenje submitted fraudulent land deeds to receive compensation valued at US$200 000.
Magistrate Ndirowei said the State had failed to provide any compelling reasons for Shenje’s pre-trial detention. He said:
It’s insufficient for the State to make unsubstantiated claims opposing bail without supporting their reasons.
This court isn’t convinced that there are cogent reasons warranting the denial of bail because he went to the police upon being summoned, four statements have been recorded from four witnesses and he will not benefit anything from interfering with them.
He has no history of interfering with witnesses and hasn’t attempted to flee after his statement was recorded during investigations.
On the commission of further offences, the State hasn’t shown the likelihood of committing offences and they didn’t produce any previous convictions.
The ground that the public will lose confidence in the justice system if he’s released on bail was vague.
In fact, accused persons should be released pending trial to show the fairness of the justice system.
A local weekly publication recently reported that ZACC had questioned several directors at the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure Development over alleged fraudulent activities linked to Mbudzi Traffic Interchange project funds.
According to the report, the officials were quizzed by ZACC after whistle-blowers leaked details linking them to the “pillage” of a fund meant to compensate owners of companies and houses who were moved to pave the way for the construction of the traffic interchange.
Officials who spoke to the publication claimed that of this figure, US$12 million could have been paid out to 52 affected individuals and businesses by the end of 2023.
The US$88 million Mbudzi interchange is at the intersection of Simon Mazorodze Road, Chitungwiza Road and High Glen Road in Harare.
Funding for the project is being done through local financial institutions, while the contractor for the project is a joint venture of three local road construction companies: Tensor Systems, Fossil Contracting and Masimba Construction, collectively coming under the banner of Tefoma Construction joint venture.
When complete, the interchange will have 13 bridges and 15 kilometres of interchange and service outlets.
This is expected to eliminate congestion at the point where two major highways meet the Beitbridge-Harare national highway.
More: Pindula News