The trial date for former permanent secretary in the ministry of Mines and Mining Development, Francis Gudyanga who is facing corruption charges has been set following the dismissal of his application for exception.
Harare magistrate Victoria Mashamba dismissed the application by Gudyanga for lack of merit.
She also indicated that the matter was triable and it was necessary for it to go to trial as the allegations do not embarrass Gudyanga in any way.
The trial is set to kick off on June 5.
Gudyanga was arrested for suspected cases of corruption he committed when he was permanent secretary in the ministry of mines where at the time, he chaired the Minerals Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe (MMCZ).
It is alleged that he never convened a meeting of the board, but claimed $28 000 in board sitting allowances.
He was the only board member and allegedly never consulted the acting general-manager Richard Chingodza and the corporation’s secretary Nomsa Moyo, whom he was supposed to hold meetings with, according to the Company Act.
He is on record telling the Harare magistrates’ court during the trial of MMCZ bosses that he paid himself board fees when there was no board to talk of at the parastatal.
Gudyanga told the court in March, 2017 while testifying against the MMCZ bosses: “It is not just sitting, but decision making. No, it was not sitting fees, but boarding fees because we did not sit as a board. The board is not all about sitting, but consultation and decision making. It took most of my time.”
Prof Gudyanga received $875 monthly as board fees and $460 sitting fees for “sitting” 21 times, totalling $28 910.