US$4.5 Million Disappears Without A Trace In Harare Quarry Scandal
Harare’s mayor, Jacob Mafume, has said that over US$4.5 million disappeared from the city council through one of its companies, Harare Quarry, reported NewZimbabwe.
Mafume claimed that in 2018, the council gave Harare Quarry US$4.5 million to help restart its operations, but the money was spent without any clear record of where it went.
During a hearing with the Harare Commission of Inquiry, led by retired Judge Maphios Cheda, on Thursday Mafume openly stated, “The money was stolen.”
When asked who was responsible for the theft and what steps were taken to investigate, Mafume responded:
The management of Quarry. We resolved to get the Police involved. What we did is, we instituted, what was done before we were elected as Councillors. This was done by the previous Council and the previous management.
We were elected in 2018. The money was stolen, I am trying to think when the loan was advanced. I am not too sure.
Harare Quarry, a company owned by the City Council, has not been paying money back to the Council, even though its property is being rented out to private businesses.
Mafume admitted that Harare Quarry has been a financial problem for the City Council, needing regular financial help to stay afloat. He said:
I am very passionate about that US$4 million because that US$4 million is the one that has caused us to have differences with the management that was there. I have pursued it in different Council meetings. I have taken the actions within my power.
As of current, because the properties are being constantly attached, I have suggested that the entity be put under management or what we used to call liquidation.
For the past three weeks, as Council we have had to pay amounts that are owed by the Quarry.
Warren Chiwawa, the City of Harare’s chamber secretary, said the case has been reported to the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission.
He also claimed that the US$4.5 million went missing when Antonia Zvoutete, who is now the Marondera Chamber Secretary, was the General Manager of Harare Quarry.
According to the Municipality of Marondera, Zvoutete has a background in law and served in the Zimbabwe National Army from 2005 to 2008.
She later worked at the City of Harare in several legal roles, including Senior Legal Officer, Principal Legal Officer, and Chief Legal Officer.
She holds a law degree from the University of Zimbabwe, a diploma in Peace and Governance from Africa University, and a degree in Theology from the Zimbabwe Open University.
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