BY CHARLES LAITON
Two former Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) senior employees yesterday appeared at the Harare Magistrates’ Court facing charges of defrauding the public broadcaster of advertising revenue.
According to the court papers, former ZBC CEO Patrick Mavhura and former head finance, administration and human resources, Benania Shumba, allegedly connived to swindle the broadcaster of over US$250 000.
Mavhura (41) and Shumba (51) were not asked to plead when they appeared before Harare magistrate Babra Mateko, who remanded them in custody to next Monday for their bail application.
Prosecutors said on September 1, acting ZBC CEO Wisdom Hombarume asked acting chief finance officer Maxwell Judah to give him a report on the state of the broadcaster’s finances.
Hombarume allegedly discovered that Mavhura and Shumba had siphoned money paid by Totalmedia and Adrenalin advertising agencies.
On December 12 last year, the duo signed two separate contracts with Totalmedia, who made an advance payment of US$100 000.
It was agreed that ZBC would in turn supply value-added advertising airtime amounting to US$149 500 to Totalmedia.
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On January 19 this year, Shumba allegedly wrote to Totalmedia asking the agency to deposit the funds into a Mugiya and Macharaga Law Chambers Ecobank trust account instead of a ZBC account.
The cash was later withdrawn and used to purchase Mavhura’s residential stand at number 98 William Pollet Road, Philadelphia, Borrowdale in Harare.
Another charge is that on February 1, Shumba and Mavhura signed a similar contract with Adrenalin, who made an advance payment of US$100 000.
On the same day, it is alleged, Shumba again originated a letter directing the firm to deposit the cash into the lawyer’s trust account from where it was again withdrawn.
