Story by Peter Chivhima, Courts Reporter
Two senior Parliament of Zimbabwe officials including Clerk of Parliament, Kennedy Chokuda have appeared in court facing allegations of criminal abuse office after a laptop tender scam.
Chokuda and Parliament’s Director of Procurement, Stanley Bhebhe was charged with criminal abuse of office when they appeared in court this Thursday.
It is the State’s case that on the 17th of June last year, the Parliament of Zimbabwe flighted an advert inviting interested bidders for the supply and delivery of 173 laptops and 79 desktop computers.
The court heard that 92 companies showed interest before 30 were shortlisted.
It is alleged that on the 29th of August last year, Mid-End Computers was notified by the Parliament of Zimbabwe that it had been awarded the contract to supply and deliver 79 desktop computers at US$3 000 each and laptops at over US$9 000 each.
However, Treasury refused to release funds on the basis that the prices were inflated.
Chokuda and Bhebhe also stand accused of allegedly negotiating with prospective suppliers for prices to be reduced using unsigned standard bidding documents and specifying the brand of laptops required, contrary to the dictates of the law.
The duo was remanded out of custody to the 31st of May on ZW$100 000 bail each.
