Source: MP allegedly blows CDF on booze – herald
You can’t make this up!
The Member of Parliament for Chiredzi West, Darlington Chiwa, has recently offered his constituents a masterclass in creative accounting, and an even more creative interpretation of “community service.”
His lesson? When life gives you a Constituency Development Fund, you apparently make a very large, personal-sized cocktail.
Investigations by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) led to his arrest last weekend.
He appeared before Magistrate Caroline Nyoni who listened as the State explained Chiwa’s unique approach to economics.
Prosecutors allege that last April, a sum of US$50,000 in ZIG currency meant for uplifting the good people of Chiredzi West landed in the constituency account.
The State’s case alleges that in April of last year, the Parliament of Zimbabwe disbursed the funds and Chiwa unlawfully transferred these public funds into his personal account.
According to the prosecution, he subsequently commission (ZACC) converted over ZWG$990,000 of this money for his own benefit, making personal purchases that included building materials, groceries, beer and shoes.
Only approximately ZWG$270,000 is said to have been directed toward legitimate constituency projects.
To conceal the alleged scheme, the State further contends that Chiwa submitted forged acquittal documents to Parliament, falsely declaring that the entirety of the funds had been used for approved community development.
This purported fraud was ultimately uncovered by a Parliamentary audit, which identified the significant financial discrepancies and led to Chiwa’s referral to ZACC.
Magistrate Nyoni further heard how Chiwa planned his constituency heist.
First, he allegedly convinced everyone else on the committee to stop being signatories. Why share power when you can have all the fun —and all the money — to yourself?
Then, when the cash landed, he reportedly transferred it into his personal account.
His spending list reads like a parody of corruption.
Beer – for thirst generated by hard thinking. New shoes – for walking all over his voters’ hopes. Groceries – a man can’t plot on an empty stomach. Building materials – presumably to build a ladder to reach his own audacity.
His masterpiece was the cover-up: submitting fake documents to Parliament, pretending all the money was spent on development.
It was a flawless plan, ruined by the one thing he didn’t budget for: someone actually checking.
The state, represented by Mr Godfrey Mugondo, is now worried he’ll try to “persuade” witnesses. He was remanded in custody, trading his comfortable home for a much smaller, state-provided room with fewer perks.
His lawyer Mr Charles Ndlovu defended the legislator and the case is continuing in court.
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