Cephas Chiwetu, a former personal assistant to a serving cabinet minister has literally thrown himself between a hard rock and the devil after he was nabbed for having swindled the Zimbabwe National Road Administration (ZINARA) of more than 19 000 litres of fuel and a Ford Ranger vehicle.
Formerly employed as an aide to Transport and Infrastructural Development minister Joel Biggie Matiza, Chiwetu is accused having fraudulently fleeced ZINARA of fuel valued at $65 925 together with a Ford Ranger vehicle after lying that he had been sent by the minister who wanted to visit the areas that had been hit by Cyclone Idai.
It is alleged that after he made the requests, Chiwetu reportedly converted the fuel for personal use.
Allegations are that between March 26 to May 31, 2019, Chiwetu acted contrary and inconsistent with his duties as a public officer by originating requests for fuel purporting that Minister Matiza needed fuel for his trips to Cyclone Idai damaged places in the Manicaland province.
After making the requests, Chiwetu is alleged to have converted the fuel and the car to personal use. He is accused of having misrepresented to Precious Murove, that the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development was in need of a car that was going to be used in visiting the areas affected by Cyclone Idai.
Consequently, ZINARA lost $65 925 worth of fuel reportedly requested by Chiwetu.
Acting upon the misrepresentation, Murove is said to have hired a Ford Ranger from CherlEthan Travel Services from March 26 to May 31 of last year.
When the vehicle was presented to Chiwetu, he allegedly started to use it for personal business.
According to the State, Chiwetu’s duties during the time he was employed as Minister Matiza’s personal assistant, involved liaising with the principal executive assistant or private secretary pertaining to the minister’s diary.He was also said to be responsible for accompanying the minister to his constituency, taking care of his belongings, coordinating with his aides and doing some of his errands.
Chiwetu is out of custody on $3000 bail and was not asked to plead when he appeared in court last Thursday.

State Media