BY DESMOND CHINGARANDE FORMER Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (Zesa) Holding group chief executive officer Josh Chifamba has been acquitted in charges of criminal abuse of office. .
Chifamba, who was represented by Admire Rubaya, was acquitted at the close of the State case alongside his co-accused company secretary Saidi Sangula and corporate legal manager, Garikai Murambiwa Churu.
The Statehad alleged that the trio contracted Chihambakwe, Mutizwa and Partners to perform debt collection duties on behalf of the power utility for six months without a contract, and board approval.
The trio engaged the firm for six months from January 2016 to June 6, 2016, prejudising the parastatal of US$3 million..
In acquitting the trio, Magistrate Vongai Muchuchuti-Guwuriro said Zesa holding was a private company, and not liable to go through tender processes that bind public institutions.
“The minutes showed that the management was tasked to search for a law firm to collect debt on behalf of Zesa Holding. The first accused (Chifamba) was also not the accounting officer for Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company,” Muchuchuti-Guwuriro ruled.