Suspended Zesa Holdings executive chairman Sydney Gata has been dragged to court over allegations of grabbing mining claims using the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Industry Trust (Zesit), the Zim Morning Post has heard.
Court documents seen by this publication show that the applicant Sabastian Magodo cited Gata, Zesit, mines minister Winston Chitando, Mines permanent secretary Onisimo Mazai and other officials as respondents.
Magodo alleges that Gata, using Zesit grabbed his mine claims which are located in the Zesa estate in Munyati, Midlands.
As has been reported by the Zim Morning Post, Gata established Zesit in order to grab Zesa projects without going to tender.
Last week a Zesit official, James Dzumbira exposed Zesit’s underhand dealings in a leaked telephone conversation with a ZETDC Information Technology expert.
In the conversation Dzumbira is heard saying Zesit is taking over so many projects like “what we are doing with the smart meters.”
Investigations revealed that Zesit wanted to grab the smart metering projects from businessman Farai Jere but failed because “Jere’s project has funding from Afreximbank.”
“They (Zesit) failed to grab the project because the bank saudit was Jere who secured the loan. Without him then funding cannot be availed,” said a source close to the development.
The source said efforts were made to boot out Jere who spent a couple of days in remand prison following alleged corruption charges.
Gata was suspended by President Emmerson Mnangagwa following allegations of corruption.
Mnangagwa went on to suspend the entire Zesa board and gave the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) a four-week ultimatum to investigate the executive chairperson.
This week, sources told the Zim Morning Post that Zacc investigations have been completed and that the findings have been handed over to the president.
The investigations have been completed. The entire board was summoned to Zacc last week and the report was handed over to the president.
“We expect prosecution to commence any time soon,” the source said.
