ONE of government’s most powerful bureaucrats has exonerated a firm controlled by Agriculture minister Anxious Masuka’s (pictured) son from any wrongdoing in a loan extended by the Tobacco Industry Marketing Board (TIMB) in 2021.
TIMB falls under the purview of Masuka’s ministry. Its mandate is to regulate the multimillion dollar sector.
But markets were shocked in August when anti-graft officers swooped on the agency’s bosses, before charging them with fraud and abuse of office for allegedly circumventing procedures when they extended a US$400 000 loan to Ultimate Accolade.
Masuka’s son, Itayi, holds a controlling stake in the business, which presides over vast tracts of land in the Seke District, according to official records.
TIMB chairperson Patrick Devenish and former chief executive officer Meanwell Gudu faced charges of approving the loan without the knowledge of other board members.
Over 150 other small scale tobacco holders accessed the funding, according to official documents.
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Documents obtained by the Zimbabwe Independent showed that as the case continued in the courts, Zimbabwe Anti–Corruption Commission (Zacc) officials summoned Obert Jiri, permanent secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, to explain how the loan was handled. In a statement to Zacc dated September 24, Jiri said it appeared the deal was above board.
“I joined the ministry in April 2022 as the chief director Agritex,” Jiri said.
“On the 12th of May 2021, Ultimate Accolade, through one of its directors Itayi Masuka, made an application for the Tunnel Credit Scheme on Quarries Farm measuring 468 hectares situated in Seke District. Clause 1 of the Tunnel Credit Scheme contract stipulates that it runs for 36 months from the day of operation. In the contract it states that the contract would start September 2021. From my analysis, Ultimate Accolade Limited is not yet in breach of the contract,” Jiri said.
He did not comment on the fraud or abuse of office allegations.
Jiri said after Ultimate applied for funding, TIMB deployed officials to assess Quarries Farm, after which it authorised the loan.
“TIMB responded to this application by sending its regional manager for Mashonaland East, Peter Remwa to assess the farm and verify facts written on the application. He went and submitted a recommendation on the 7th of June 2021,” he said.
“The regional manager then submitted the recommendation to special project head, Stewart Sanyika, who then also assessed the application and approved the application that was submitted by Ultimate Accolade (Pvt) Ltd.
“The file was submitted to the chief executive officer’s office for contract signing, but the contract was signed by the then acting chief operating officer, namely Blessing Dhokotera, who signed on behalf of the CEO who was away,” Jiri said.
It was after the full process was completed that TIMB started disbursing funds to Accolade, Jiri's statement said.
He revealed that by 2023, Ultimate had repaid over US$130 000 to TIMB.
A TIMB statement seen by the Independent this week showed Ultimate had paid US$407 000 of the loan as at September 27, with US$78 000 outstanding.
At the time of Gugu and Devenish’s arrests, the state estimated that TIMB could have been prejudiced of US$539 000 as a result of the contentious loan.
Although Devenish and Gudu were granted bail last month, they are still appearing in court facing fraud charges arising from the loan.
Between 2021 and 2023, the state further claimed, no efforts were made to recover the funds extended to Ultimate.
According to the state, the matter only came to light when TIMB’s acting chief executive officer Emmanuel Matsvaire presented details of the loan facility to the agency’s board.
When reached for comment this week, Jiri queried how the Independent had accessed the Zacc statement, before declining to shed light.
“This is subjudice,” Jiri said.
“Where did you get that from?”
The Independent sought to understand whether Ultimate Accolade was given the loan due to its ties with Masuka.
Zacc spokesperson Simiso Mlevu also declined to comment for the same reasons.
“That matter is before the courts and matters before the courts are subjudice. We do not comment on them,” she said.
Minister Masuka was not picking his phone yesterday, while efforts to contact Itayi were fruitless.