Accused of fraud … Former ZBC CEO, Happyson Muchechetere
Muchechetere is facing fraud charges.
He is accused of swindling ZBC of $800 000 by inflating the purchase price of an outside broadcasting (OB) van bought from a Chinese firm in 2013.
Muchechetere’s lawyer, Advocate Thabani Mpofu, indicated that they were still pursuing their Constitutional Court application.
However magistrate, Adonia Masawi, said there was nothing in the records to show what happened of the ConCourt application.
Muchechetere’s appeal challenging the criminal proceedings was thrown out in February this year by the Constitutional Court.
Court heard the application was not filed in terms of the law.
The state, led by Michael Reza, alleged that on January 18, 2013, Muchechetere — without going to tender — entered into a procurement deal with a Chinese company to purchase an audio OB van for $1 050 000.
On April 23, 2013, Muchechetere allegedly misrepresented to ZBC’s executive committee that $495 000 donated by BancABC was enough to purchase an audio van, a cargo van, a crew bus and the committee approved the purchase of the items using the said money.
Muchechetere did not disclose to the committee that he had already entered into a deal for only one item-the OB van.
The court heard that Muchechetere flew to China and signed an agreement concerning the inspection of the van, which was never carried out by other members of the executive committee.
The OB van was delivered in August 2013 after BancABC released $100 000 to the Chinese company.
The alleged crime was discovered after Muchechetere’s suspension in November last year when it was established that the OB van had a market value of $350 000, contrary to the $1 050 000 he had stated.
The case was remanded to June 3
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