Decent Chitsungo, an ex-director at an army-linked agro-business enterprise, Cashbox Financial Services (CFS Agro), on Tuesday (16 March 2021) appeared before a Harare magistrate facing corruption charges.

Brenna Matendere

War veterans operating under the Defence ministry own a substantial stake in CFS, which is directly controlled by the army.

Chitsungo, who was employed as head of agro-business by CFS from November 2019, was not asked to plead when he appeared before a Harare magistrate, Isheunesu Matova.

He is being accused of “corruptly concealing a transaction from a principal” as provided under Section 172 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act Chapter 9:23.

Chitsungo is a former senior manager at China Cotton Africa and Cargill.

The prosecutor, Lancelot Mutsokoti, told the court that during the time that Chitsungo was employed by CFS, which trades Sesame seed, he failed to notify his employer that he had joined another company identified as Globereach Advisory Services as its agribusiness executive.

His new company was reportedly also buying the same Sesame products as CFS.

Mutsokoti told the court that Chitsungo tendered his resignation from CFS on January 25 2021and subsequently surrendered the company laptop he had been using to his former employee.

The laptop gave him away, the prosecution added, when the CFS management officials discovered information showing that Chitsungo had joined a rival company when he was still employed by the firm.

CFS then made a report to the police, leading to Chitsungo’s arrest.

Mutsokoti did not oppose the bail application presented by the accused’s lawyer, Tafadzwa Ralph Mugabe.

Magistrate Matova grated the accused ZW$20 000 bail and Chitsungo will be back in court on April 6 2021.

Chitsungo was ordered to reside at his house whose address was given as Number 2474, Gwenhure Avenue, New Marlborough,Harare.

Dai Chimuto is the investigating officer in the case.

The court record number is 1677-8/21 while the police report is 30/03/21.

The complainant, CFS, was represented by its legal counsel, Nsikelo Mafa Moyo.