Former Energy Minister Samuel Undenge who was on trial on abuse of office charges for allegedly influencing the granting of tenders to his friends has been convicted by Harare magistrate, Hosea Mujaya.
The former minister, who denied the charges, claimed that he was acting on a directive from (then) Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s office when he wrote a letter directing power utility ZESA to engage the services of Fruitful Communications, without going to tender and despite the fact that ZESA has its own fully staffed public relations department. Fruitful Communications is owned by ZBC journalist Oscar Pambuka and Zanu-PF politician, Psychology Maziwisa.
However, Mujaya convicted Undenge of the crime noting that Undenge had not denied writing the letter which authorised Pambuka and Maziwisa to handle Zesa’s public relations.
Sentencing has been scheduled for 2 pm on Friday.
