Zvikomborero Parafini
FORMER National Social Security Authority Director Investment, Brian Murewa, has denied claims by ZACC that he was evading arrest for the past 16 months.
Murewa, in his bail application, produced his valid passport which showed that during the period in question, he left and returned to Zimbabwe on medical grounds through official ports of entry and exit.
Through his lawyer Tafadzwa Hungwe, Murewa told the court that he has no motive to abscond as he was not party to the signing of the agreement that has landed him in the dock.
Murewa told the court that when the police arrested him at his house and he opened the gate for them which is not consistent with a person intending to abscond the jurisdiction of the court.
ZACC investigator, Brenda Mhuriro, insisted that Murewa wasn’t a suitable candidate for bail but failed to prove that he was on the Interpol red notice.
Murewa was released on US$500 bail and was ordered to surrender his passport as well as to report once a week at ZACC offices.
He returns to court on May 14.
Allegations are that in January 2021, NSSA resolved to purchase a Guest House in Kariba for use by its members and staff.
Pursuant to this endeavour, NSSA mandated Murewa to seek a suitable property.
Murewa approached Palm Golding, a real estate company, which had been given a mandate to sell stand number 989, Kariba Township, on behalf of the Thokozani Family Trust and offered to purchase the property, which was being sold for US$220 000.
Palm Golding arranged for Murewa to meet Thokozani Family Trust’s representative Tendai Muzorewa.
It is the State’s case that Murewa then negotiated for a reduction of the purchase price to USD$215 000 and induced Muzorewa to agree to sign an agreement of sale reflecting the purchase price as US$240 000.
On January 12, 2022, NSSA, acting on Murewa’s instructions, transferred a total US$300 000 to Platinum Investments Managers (Pvt) Ltd, NSSA’s investment manager, with US$252 631 meant for the purchase of the property.
On March 14 2022, the investment managers handed US$153 000 cash to Murewa for the payment of the property.
Murewa allegedly went on to pay US$124 000 and remained with US$29 000.