STAFF REPORTER
NetOne chief executive officer,Lazarus Muchenje and six executives have been granted ZWL$3 000 bail each by a Harare magastrate after they were arrested for alleged criminal abuse of office.
A former legal intern at the country’s second biggest cellular network, Sharmaine Kadenhe, was freed on ZWL$700 bail.
Muchenje is jointly charged with interconnection and roaming manager Tawanda Sibanda (49) ,acting chief finance officerTinashe Severa(43) chief technical officer Darlington Gutu,(53), acting head legal affairs Tanyaradzwa Chingombe, head of innovation an product development Spencer Manguwa (43) , board member Paradzai Chakona(53) and Kadenhe(29).
The eight have been charged with multiple counts of criminal abuse of office as public officers.
They were remanded to June 2.
It is alleged that Muchenje, Gutu, and Chingombe illegally contracted international companies without the approval of the board.
“Accused one, four and six corruptly caused NetOne to enter into a contract with Bankai International Pvt LTD of Mauritius and Brudgevoice INC, a company incorporated under laws of the United States of America to sell NetOne airtime overseas by connecting Bankai to NetOne prepaid platform,” prosecutor Michael Reza for the State told the court.
Bankai is said to have been given a 20% airtime discount which was above 11% discount the company was giving to other dealers.
Muchenje was also alleged to be getting an illegal housing benefit which saw NetOne losing US$363,875.
It is also alleged that Muchenje acquired personal security and misrepresented on documentation that the security guards would offer 24-hour protection to the NetOne building when in actual fact the guards provided security only to him.
