High flying Supa Mandiwanzira spends night in police cells

Nyanga South Member of Parliament and former Minister of Information Communication Technology and Cyber Security Supa Mandiwanzira was yesterday arrested on allegations of criminal abuse of office and spent a night at Matapi Police Station pending his appearance in court today.

Mandiwanzira handed himself to the police soon after his return from an overseas trip.

He is facing two counts of criminal abuse of office as a public officer during his tenure as a Cabinet minister.

National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed Mandiwanzira’s arrest yesterday.

“The ZRP confirms the arrest of Nyanga South Member of Parliament and former Minister of Information Communication Technology and Cyber Security
Cde Supa Mandiwanzira in connection with two counts of contravening section 174 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, chapter 9:23 ‘criminal abuse of office’,” he said.

Asst Comm Nyathi said Mandiwanzira allegedly engaged Megawatt Company to do consultancy work for NetOne without going to tender before directing NetOne to pay $5 million to the said company.

“This is in connection with audit contract awarded to Megawatt Company without going to tender, an entity in which Cde Mandiwanzira had interests and subsequent directive by him for NetOne to pay $4 million for the service and $1 million for consultancy,” he said.

“The payments were stopped by Procurement Regulating Authority of Zimbabwe since Megawatt Company had been unprocedurally awarded the contract.”

On the second count, Mandiwanzira is said to have unprocedurally appointed his personal assistant, Tawanda Chinembiri to the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Potraz) board.

“Cde Mandiwanzira is also accused of unprocedurally seconding Tawanda Chinembiri to the Potraz board without following the required due process,” Asst Comm Nyathi said.

According to the police, Potraz lost $35 000 through allowances drawn by Chinembiri.

state media