Former accountant in the Ministry of Defence Simbarashe Zvineyi is languishing in prison after Harare magistrate, Francis Mapfumo denied him bail on the grounds that he is a flight risk.
Zvineyi (36) is facing charges of stealing US$20 million from the ministry.
The former Defence boss is alleged to have used the US$20 million to buy four houses in Harare, 25 taxis, four top-of-the-range vehicles and channeled part of the money onto the parallel foreign currency market.
Allegations are that between January 2010 and December 31 last year, Zvineyi and Danison Muvandi, still at large – who was a top accounting officer in the same ministry – hatched a plan to defraud the Ministry.
Muvandi is alleged to have used his position and influence within the ministry to misrepresent that there were classified operations to be carried out and would allegedly instruct the chief accountant, Lameck Jackson, to deposit funds into Zvineyi’s accounts at NMB Bank, CBZ, CABS and Steward Bank.
The duo would then allegedly share the loot.
Only four vehicles have been recovered and he also allegedly bought houses in Tynwald, Aspindale, Avonlea and Borrowdale.
