The Observer - 16 February 2014 - 5
Goche okayed $11m Air Zim insurance scam
Correspondent
CABINET Minister Nicholas Goche has been sucked into the
Air Zimbabwe scandal in which top management has been
accused of defrauding the airline of nearly $20-million in an
insurance scam.
A letter submitted to an Air Zimbabwe internal disciplinary
hearing shows that Goche authorised the contentious
transactions in April 2009 when he was the minister of
transport and infrastructure development. He is now minister
of public service, labour and social welfare.
The airline has been rocked by the scandal that resulted
from its appointment of Navistar Insurance Brokers in 2009
to handle the insurance of its planes. Disciplinary ¬hearings
against senior managers are in progress.
The insurance transactions are said to have violated the
airline’s tender regulations. There are claims of premiums
being “fraudulently” overcharged by €5.1-million over a fouryear period.
The letter signed by Goche and addressed to the then group
chief executive Peter Chikumba is dated April 3 2009 and is on
the transport ministry’s letterhead.
It reads, in part: “Further to the letter from the permanent
secretary for transport and infrastructure development dated
March 25 2009 authorising Air Zimbabwe to make payment
for the above through Colemont Insurance Brokers, this letter
serves to authorise Air Zimbabwe to make placement of the
necessary insurances directly on to the international market.
Subsequent thereto, the necessary waivers in respect of this
unavoidable administrative action shall be secured.”
Last week, Transport Minister Obert Mpofu fired all the
boards under his ministry for non-performance. This included
the Air Zimbabwe board led by Ozias Bvute.
Contacted for comment, Goche promised to meet the Mail
& Guardian b ]Y