FORMER NSSA general manager  Elizabeth Chitiga, 59,  appeared before Harare magistrate Victoria Mashamba in  court on allegations of abuse of office.

A former NSSA top official was yesterday dragged to court answering to allegations of abuse of office.

Elizabeth Chitiga, 59, was not asked when she appeared before Harare magistrate Victoria Mashamba.

Chitiga was represented by top lawyer Jonathan Samkange.

It is the State case that NSSA and National Building Society NBS convened a strategic meeting in which the two organisations resolved NBS was supposed to build 10000 low-income housing developments countrywide.

At that time, Chitiga was NSSA general manager whose duties included overall management of business activities and reporting to the board.

In an endeavour to achieve the target, NSSA conducted roadshows country wide headed by head of housing projects Engineer Silas Mukono with a view to identify willing partners for engagement.

The team identified 14 possible projects out of which they selected five projects to kick start the programme namely Victoria range Masvingo, Denver Township Bulawayo, Mkobe in Gweru, Dulibadzimu in Beitbridge and Emagwini Phase 4 in Bulawayo.

On July 20 last year, NBS treasurer forwarded the projects to Latifa Kassim forwarded the five projects to the Chief Strategic investments officer Chakanyuka Nziradzemhuka for funding by NSSA at a total cost of $80- 991 200.

Chitiga’s accomplice who is already undergoing trial over the same matter James Tirivavi Chiuta, responded to Latifa Kassim by emailing his own five projects with a total cost of $78 million.

Chiuta’s justification of his own projects was that the NBS projects had insufficient information for approval with the NSSA board so he handed over the projects to NBS before the NSSA board approval.

In an effort to regularise the action, Chiuta and Chitiga connived to misrepresent to the board that NBS required funding for the five projects.

The Board acting on the misrepresentation approved the funding of $78 million on the understanding that all due processes had been done.

Chitiga was released on $1000 bail coupled with conditions including to surrender her passport and not to interfere with State witnesses.

The matter was remanded to 11 January as the State led by Shepherd Makonde intends to join the dockets of Chitiga and her alleged accomplice Chiuta.
Source – hmetro

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