THE trial of suspended Health ministry epidemiology and disease control director, Portia Manangazira, for alleged corruption failed to kick off again yesterday with the prosecutor Tabani Mpofu in no show.
Manangazira stands accused of, among other things, allegedly facilitating employment opportunities for her relatives.
In the last court session, Mpofu, who is from the Special Anti-Corruption Unit (Sacu), was said to be out of the country, but yesterday his whereabouts were unknown, forcing the State to apply for a postponement to May 9.
Manangazira is also accused of violating procurement procedures in acquiring goods and services worth over US$280 000 for use in raising awareness against the Covid-19 pandemic.
She is also accused of facilitating opportunities to her 28 relatives to be community health workers and illegally issuing over 3 000 litres of diesel.
Her lawyer Garikai Mhishi told regional magistrate Taurai Manuwere that they were putting the State on notice that if the trial does not open on May 9, they will be left with no option, but to apply for her removal from remand.
He also added that they had not been given State papers to prepare for the trial.
Circumstances around the case are that, in response to the Covid-19 outbreak, the ministry of Health, through the department of Epidemiology and Disease Control, requested funding for voluntary community health workers training and deployment.
An allocation of US$796 675 was reportedly availed by the Africa CDC through African Field Epidemiology Network, a non-governmental organisation, to fund the items and services meant to be used at workshops to train 800 community health workers.
Between July 16 and 19 last year, Manangazira allegedly authorised the procurement of goods and services worth US$280 529.76 without following tender procedures.
It is further alleged that between July and November 2020, she sanctioned the payment of US$8 835 to undeserving Health ministry officials during their routine duties without the authority of the accounting officer, which the State alleges favoured herself and the health employees.
Further allegations are that between July 2021 and January this year, Manangazira identified 1 000 community health workers to be deployed across the country for raising awareness on Covid-19 without involving provincial and district medical doctors and officers.
The 1 000 were allegedly paid US$600 each for a three months period.
The State alleges that investigations had so far shown that 28 of the health workers are related to her.
Manangazira is also alleged to have unlawfully directed the issuance of 3 290 litres of diesel coupons to privately owned vehicles.
This, the State alleges, was in contravention of the transport policy which states that an accounting officer should authorise the issuance of fuel to private cars.
