Registrar General Clemence Masango has been arrested for criminal abuse of office and flouting tender procedures in purchase of five service vehicles.
He is now in police custody pending court appearance on 7 May 2020.
Masango has been under forensic audit instituted by Government to look into allegations that he could have procured vehicles for the Central Registry’s office without following laid down procedures
Auditor-General Mildred Chiri has been roped in to investigate the case that was raised by the chief accountant in the Registrar-General’s Department, Peter Bwanya.
The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) two weeks ago impounded two vehicles for the Central Registry suspected to have been purchased irregularly.
Bwanya wrote a letter to Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Permanent Secretary, Aaron Nhepera, alleging that only six vehicles, Isuzu KB250 single cabs were delivered against 11 that the department had procured.
In response, Masango vehemently denied any wrongdoing, saying they bought six vehicles after Treasury revoked the 1:1 parity of the Zimbabwean dollar to the United States dollar.
Nhepera said he had liaised with the Public Service Commission and agreed that there be a forensic audit in the department.
It also emerged that Masango had written to Nhepera to have Bwanya transferred from the department alleging that their working relationship had soured. He said that could affect the smooth running of the Central Registry given his strategic position.
“When I received both reports from the RG (Registrar-General) and the chief accountant, I wrote to the PSC for guidance on the way forward, but also giving my proposal view that there be a forensic audit,” said Nhepera.
