Judge to rule on Mangoma today

The High Court must decide Tuesday whether to confirm or overturn a bail application by Mangoma’s lawyer Selby Hwacha that the minister be freed on bail, under stringent conditions.

Within hours of the magistate court’s decision on Friday to remand Mangoma in custody until March 28, Hwacha gave notice he would appeal in the High Court.

“The bail hearing matter has been set down for Tuesday,” Hwacha said.

He was not sure which judged would handle the case.

The media, a curious public and MDC supporters, are again expected to pack the courtroom for the hearing this morning. It is uncertain whether Mangoma himself will be in court.

Meanwhile the House of Assembly Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Mines and Energy probed the matter Monday. NOCZIM procurement director Clever Maodzwa told the Parliamentary committee that the deal was murky. He said he did not understand why Mangoma decided to buy fuel for 88US cents when it was going for 73USc to 76USc per litre at Beira. He suggested government could have paid US$200,000 more in the NOOA fuel deal.

“It is cheaper to get the product from Mozambique, transport it to Harare and then move it to the Southern regions,” Maodzwa said.

NOCZIM acting CEO Tendai Mangezi, said Mangoma entered the deal without consulting the bureaucracy at NOCZIM and only made contact to facilitate payment to NOOA.

“NOCZIM was never part of this particular transaction and we do not have any information to that,” she said.

Mangezi told the Parliamentary committee that NOCZIM, which she said had been unbundled into two firms by the minister, Petro Trade and National Oil Infrastructure Company of Zimbabwe had cost workers jobs. She said besides, NOCZIM was saddled by staggering debt.

NOCZIM owes US$26 million to Nordia Bank of Sweden; US$43,5 million to Libya Arab Foreign Bank; US$2,3 million to BP South Africa; US$2,7 million to Caltex; and US$500 000 to Engen South Africa.