Zimbabwe's Health minister released on ZWL50,000 (US$2,000) bail

22 Juin 2020

Harare, Zimbabwe, June 22 (Infosplusgabon) – Zimbabwe’s Health minister, Obadiah Moyo, has been released on a ZWL50,000 (US$2,000) bail despite being charged with three counts of criminal abuse of office in awarding contracts to shelf companies, without going to tender, to supply COVID-19 materials.

Moyo was released on bail on Saturday afternoon following the Harare Magistrate court hearing the minister’s case with no opposition from state.

Moyo was arrested on Friday evening by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) on three counts of awarding contracts for the supply of COVID-19 materials to shelf companies without going to tender.

According to court documents gleamed by PANA, apart from the ZWL50,000 bail,  Moyo is to report thrice a week at ZACC, surrender passports and title deeds of his house, and not interfere with witnesses and investigations.

Curiously, despite being arrested, Moyo did not sleep in jail but at his home.

“Sometime in March 2019, the accused (Moyo) was approached by Dilesh Nguwaya, a contry representative of Papi Pharma LLC, who presented a letter of interest to supply medicines and medical sundries under a US$15 million loan facility,” reads count one of Moyo’s charge sheet seen by PANA.

Nguwaya is a close business associate of Collins Mnangagwa, son to President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

Papi Pharma LLC is what Drax International LLC was previously known by before changing its name to the latter.

“Under normal circumstances, mail for the Minister’s Office is supposed to be submitted through the Office of the Secretary of Health and Child Care who in turn directs the mail to the Minister of Health and Child Care,” reads count one of the charge sheet.

“After receiving the letter from Papi Pharma LLC, the accused called the former Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health and Child Care, Rtd Maj.-Gen. Dr G. Gwinji and told him to process the paperwork and award the tender to Papi Pharma LLC under a direct purchase.”

From here, on March 20 2019, Gwinji wrote to Treasury to investigate Papi Pharma LLC before it was contracted by the Health Ministry. But, Moyo used his position and influence to instruct Gwinji to engage Papi Pharma LLC before receiving a response from Treasury.

Five days later, Gwinji got a response from Treasury’s Permanent secretary George Guvamatanga requesting to be furnished with comparative international prices for the various medicines outlined that Papi Pharma LLC would be supplying.

“Resultantly, Dr Gwinji directed NatPharm, through Florence Nancy Sifeku who is the General Manager, which engaged Papi Pharma LLC to proceed with the procurement process,” reads count one of the charge sheet.

Natpharm (National Pharmaceutical Company of Zimbabwe) is a state pharmaceutical companies healthcare organisation.

“On May 2019, NatPharm then used a direct purchase method and awarded a tender number NAT DP11/19 to Papi Pharma LLC before due diligence was concluded,” reads count one of the charge sheet.

However, on June 14, 2019, an adverse report was received from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade indicating that Papi Pharma LLC and its director, Klodian Allajbeu, were linked to a terrorist group called Gulen Movement.

“By causing the awarding of a tender and entering into a contract with Papi Pharma LLC, the accused showed favour to Papi Pharma LLC causing a potential prejudice of US$15 million to the Ministry of Health and Child Care,” reads the charge sheet.

President Mnangagwa is on record stating that he personally reached out to Drax International LLC to supply COVID-19 materials worth US$60 million.

The other two counts over criminal abuse of office leveled against Moyo includes him personally overseeing that Namibian based shelf company, Jaji Investments, receiving a government contract worth millions of United States dollars without going to tender.

Jaji Investments, owned by the President’s body guard, Valdano Brown, was awarded the contract to supply COVID-19 materials.

In total, Moyo awarding contracts to shelf companies prejudiced the state of over US$60 million between last year and this one.

FIN/ INFOSPLUSGABON/ZTR/GABON2020

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