National museum bosses nabbed in $25k fuel scandal……as fuel is diverted to ‘executive errands’

Top National Museums and monuments of Zimbabwe bosses have been dragged to court on charges of criminal abuse of office after they allegedly got away with over 18 000 litres of fuel than the one stipulated by government

Godfrey Mahachi (59), the Executive Director and Darlingoton Manyika (52), the Deputy Director appeared before Harare magistrate Vongai Muchuchuti facing corruption charges.

The two bosses were released on $100 bail each. Part of their bail conditions include reporting once a week at their nearest police stations and surrendering their passports.

Prosecutor Sebastian Mutizirwa alleges that sometime in June 2013 the National Museums and monuments of Zimbabwe received circular D20/8 dated 21/06/2013 from the secretary of home affairs. The circular highlighted fuels for business and personal use monthly allocations as follows, minister 800 liters, permanent secretary 600 liters and director 400 liters.

The circular applied to all departments in the ministry of Home Affairs except for the Zimbabwe Republic Police. In accordance to the circular, the two bosses received their allocation which was 560 litres and 500 litres respectively. They also received specific allocations for specific trips and the institutions pool vehicles would have a weekly allocation of 20 litres.

Despite the ministerial directive, from early 2013 till the end of December last year, the two allocated an extra 40 litres of fuel every week for themselves which they termed ‘executive errands fuel’.

They prejudiced the State of 18 430 litres of fuel estimated to be worth USD $24 751.57.