FORMER Mines minister Obert Mpofu was yesterday accused of single-handedly running the Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation (ZMDC) for four months after dissolving its board of directors soon after his appointment. CHARLES LAITON SENIOR COURT REPORTER
Core Mining and Mineral Resources lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa made the accusations while cross-examining the minister in a case where he is accused of seeking a $10 million bribe from a potential diamond investor.
Mtetwa asked him to explain the reason why he dissolved the ZMDC board and the parastatal had no board between February and June 2009.
In response, Mpofu said he was not at liberty to disclose his reasons, but maintained he had an obligation to act in the manner he did since he had powers to do so.
Mtetwa asked Mpofu to explain to High Court judge Justice Chinembiri Bhunu on who was running ZMDC in the absence of the dissolved board and he said: “It was the ministry through the management of ZMDC.”
He said it was unfair for Mtetwa to ask him about statutes he used to run the parastatal without a board.
“It’s not fair for a lawyer to ask a layman such kind of a question,” Mpofu said.
“We ran ZMDC within the laws of the country through the management of ZMDC.”
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
Keep Reading
As the cross-examination continued, Mtetwa said Mpofu sidelined his former permanent secretary Thankful Musukutwa and did not invite him to attend meetings with potential diamond mining investors, in contravention of the laws governing the operations of the parastatal.
But Mpofu dismissed the claims arguing if Musukutwa was not involved; it was his fault since he was the parastatal’s chief executive officer who had a mandate to know everything happening under his ministry.
Mtetwa then indicated to Mpofu that in terms of the ZMDC Act, it was the board that advised the minister and not vice-versa, to which Mpofu said: “If there is no board the minister runs the affairs.”
The cross-examination took another turn as Mpofu was asked to explain whether he kept the minutes of all the meetings he held with the potential diamond mining investors from February to June 2009.
Mpofu said he never kept minutes of the meetings held during that period, but only took down notes.
Turning to the issue of whether he knew Kurotwi, Mpofu said he remembered meeting him on four occasions, once in Bulawayo and thrice at his ministerial offices in Harare.
During the said meetings, Mpofu said, no minutes were taken down except notes that were recorded.
Mpofu is testifying in the $2 billion potential fraud matter in which Kurotwi is jointly charged with former ZMDC chief executive officer Dominic Mubaiwa for allegedly misrepresenting facts that led to the formation of a joint venture between Marange Resources and Core Mining that formed the now-defunct Canadile Miners.
Kurotwi claims Mpofu pushed for his arrest after he refused to pay a $10 million bribe. The trial continues today.
