Matonga exposes corrupt bigwigs

Matonga, who at one time was the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at the Zimbabwe United Passenger Company (ZUPCO) disclosed that quite often, tender procedures were flouted and in some instances, the political heavies would inflate prices for personal gain.

He said attempts to resist or block the corrupt activities would lead to victimization that would, in some cases, result in arbitrary arrests. “My experience in a parastatals was that when it came to procurement of goods, people who are not at all related to that process would come and tell you to put a price of $120 000 on a bus that would be going for $90 000.

“But I would say no and they would tell you that if you do not want, they will get you arrested and I was arrested. Sometimes these people abuse the police system. They will get you arrested and then put in place a person of their choice. Corrupt people target people who are not corrupt,” said Matonga.

He was addressing journalists during a press conference held to commemorate the International Anti Corruption day.

Matonga was in 2006 arrested together with the then ZUPCO Chairman, Charles Nherera, on allegations of demanding $10 000 bribe each to Jahesh Sha who wanted a tender to supply buses to ZUPCO.

However during the time, Local Government Minister, Ignatius Chombo, who was a witness in the case, was accused of having given ZUPCO the green light to acquire buses without going to tender.

The magistrate who presided over the trail of Nherera said Chombo was a poor witness. Describing his arrest, Matonga said he was a victim of a corrupt gangster, insisting he would not “mention names”.

“I address you as a victim of a corrupt gangster that targets individuals. I have been arrested twice on corruption charges and this was caused by people who wanted to force me to act in a corrupt manner and I refused.

“I was taken to court twice and I demanded to be tried and there was no case. I made requests that f there is anyone who claims that I demanded a bribe, let him come out in the open and the person ran away,” said Matonga.

He implored the government to take a firm stance against politicians who abuse their political muscle to engage in corruption.