Last week the Zim Morning Post exposed the rot obtaining at the Mines ministry which also sucked in Central Mechanical and Equipment Department (CMED) top officials.
This saw CMED being probed for undervaluation and hiring of the outsourced vehicles for the top Ministry of Mines officials and subsequently the Transport minister Joel Biggie Matiza dissolving the board after consultations with President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
“The CID is interested in establishing why the CMED would hire cars sourced from individuals to give the directors after they had purchased official ministry vehicles.
“There is strong suspicion that these cars that were hired belong to individuals who are closely associated or related to top CMED officials. It is clear there is a case of corruption,”our source said then.
The vehicles were hired at a cost of $24 000.
Further investigations made by this publication this week, led to the identification of the owners of the hired vehicles.
Isuzu KB250 D (Reg number ADF7397)- belongs to Emmanuel Ngwarati of Zimre Park.
Ford Ranger (Reg Number AEK0193)- belongs to Infinity Hire of Houghton Park.
Toyota Hilux (Reg Number ABP7201)- belongs to CFCA Limited based in Harare.
It could not be immediately ascertained whether these companies and individuals followed due procedure to be awarded the contracts to rent their cars to CMED for the purposes of hiring out the same cars to Ministry of Mines executives.
Insiders say the whole process was on the instigation of the former permanent secretary Munesu Munodawafa who acted through his proxy- finance director Morgan Makina.
One of the listed car owners Ngwarati refused to entertain this reporter.
