HARARE – The Zimbabwe Broadcasting Cooperation (ZBC) bulletins manager Moses Charedzera has told a court that they never aired any radio or television programmes on behalf of the Zimbabwe Power Company as claimed by two directors of Fruitful Communications, a PR firm.
Former ZBC employee Oscar Pambuka and Zanu PF polititician Psychology Maziwisa are accused of swindling ZPC of $12,000 after they allegedly claimed payment for PR work done with the ZBC.
Prosecutor Michael Reza alleges the two would request for money each time ZPC’s name was mentioned on radio or television saying they influenced publication.
But Charedzera said the two never conducted shows for ZPC.
“It’s impossible for someone to claim they have done a bulletin for ZBC and claim payment. If a PR firm wants to supply news for us, there is meeting with ZBC first to agree on terms and whether they should be paid and what amount,” he said during cross examination with Michael Reza.
“I don’t recall the two ever presenting any programme for Kariba power generation as they claim. There’s no record of any story in our bulletins from any outside source or the accused’s company.
“We as ZBC invited an energy expert Samuel Mleya to discuss power generation and there was no charge.”
The case was postponed to August 7 when the accused’s lawyer Jonathan Samukange is expected to cross examine the witness.
Pambuka and Maziwisa went on trial just days after former energy minister Samuel Undenge was jailed for four years for directing ZPC to engage Fruitful Communications for PR work without going to tender.
Undenge, who will serve an effective two-and-a-half years for criminal abuse of office, has applied for bail pending appeal to the High Court against both conviction and sentence.
He approached a Harare magistrate with the notice of appeal on Tuesday, but his case could not be heard after the state prosecutor, Oscar Madhume, indicated that they were served with the notice late.
The case was postponed to Wednesday to allow the state to go through the appeal papers.
In his notice of appeal, Undenge complained that he was wrongly convicted.
He insisted that he never directed Fruitful communications company to work with Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) without going to tender.
“In his mind the work was for free. Further, in any event, there was no evidence that in the circumstances of the case ZPC needed to go through tender which if this was required ZPC could have gone through the so called tender procedure,” Undenge’s lawyer, Alec Muchadehama says in the appeal.-ZimLive