Ministers’ graft case
Staff reporter
13 November 2006

Junior information minister Bright Matonga has denied charges of seeking a bribe, in his court case which began Monday.

It’s alleged that he and former ZUPCO chairman, Charles Nherera, sought a bribe of US$20,000 from Harare businessman Jayesh Shah.

In 2003 Matonga was the chief executive officer of ZUPCO and it’s alleged that he and Nherera had asked Shah for a kickback to extend a lease agreement for a property rented out to him by ZUPCO.

Matonga's lawyer has dismissed the charges as "pure fabrication." The lawyer said: "The accused (Matonga) denies the charges in their entirety and will say the frustration met by Shah in trying to sell buses to ZUPCO without going to tender made him hate Matonga and Nherera with passion.”

Nherera is already serving a two-year jail term for soliciting for an US$85 000 bribe from Shah to give him a contract to supply the public transporter with 75 buses.

Nherera's lawyer Joseph Mandizha said the trial was a repeat of an earlier one, which led to his client's conviction in August this year.

The trial continues in Harare on Tuesday.