The Sunday News
Munyaradzi Musiiwa Midlands Correspondent
GOVERNMENT could soon descend on United Bulawayo Hospitals, Masvingo and Gwanda provincial hospitals in ongoing investigations that will see the suspension of four officials at Mnene Mission Hospital in Mberengwa after they allegedly defrauded the institution of about $400 000 by flouting tenders and inflating prices.In an interview, Midlands provincial medical director Dr Milton Chemhuru said the quartet which includes hospital matron Sister Danai Chauke, administrator Mr Noel Moyo, finance director Mr Comfort Shumba and Ms Yvonne Manyawo would soon be suspended pending investigations by police.
“We are yet to receive any correspondence from the police with regards to the investigations being done following allegations of corruption, incompetence and abuse of office.
“The four officials involved will soon be suspended while police conduct investigations,” he said.
Dr Chemhuru said the ministry had completed internal investigations into the matter and they roped in police as the law enforcers.
He said a report was compiled by the investigations committee and submitted to the permanent secretary.
Dr Chemhuru said no arrests had been made so far by the police.
The investigations committee has also ordered an investigation into United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH), Masvingo and Gwanda provincial hospitals after it emerged that Madenga and Dharara approved the tenders of the public health institutions using the same criteria.
Allegations are that the four officials connived with two senior Government officials from the Ministry of Health and Child Care to forge the permanent secretary’s date stamp to approve tenders resulting in the Lutheran-run institution being prejudiced of about $400 000.
Police recently confirmed that national procurement officer, Wilbert Madenga and national projects and planning officer, Richard Dharara were now being investigated by police together with other officials with whom they connived to steal the money after flouting tenders and inflating prices. National police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba recently confirmed that police had commenced investigations into the issue after the matter was reported to the law enforcers by the ministry.
In the report seen by Sunday News, one of the officials at the hospital, Mr Moyo, allegedly connived with Madenga and Dharara to mislead the hospital executive board, violate tender procedures and avoid the district medical officer and provincial medical director.
It is alleged that Madenga and Dharara would steal the permanent secretary’s date stamp to approve the tenders and bypass some of the senior officials, approving some of the procurements, a mandate beyond their capacity.
The trio allegedly prejudiced the hospital of $400 000 through flouting tenders and inflating some of the prices.
The investigations committee recommended that the two be charged with corruption and be investigated by the police for criminal abuse of office and forgery.
