Frank Chitukutuku

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Frank Chitukutuku

Frank Chitukutuku is the former chief executive of the Zimbabwe National Road Administration (Zinara). Chitukutuku was charged for criminal abuse of duty as a public officer, fraud, bribery and money laundering during his tenure at Zinara.

Background

Wife

Nyasha Chitukutuku[1]

Net Worth

A September 2019 report by The Herald values Frank Chitukutuku's net worth at over US$20 million.

In 2019, he made his first attempt to explain how he acquired the massive wealth following an order compelling him to do so. At the time Chitukutuku who was under investigation for fraud, was in June 2019 given a 30-day ultimatum to give an account of how he acquired immovable and movable assets, amid suspicion he obtained them corruptly.[2]

Properties

According to the State, Chitukutuku acquired the properties at a time he was lawfully earning a combined $8 500 from Zinara as well as his farming activities.[2]

Cars

Chitukutuku is said to have acquired 10 motor vehicles between September 2013 and April 2018.

These vehicles include:

  • two Mazda T35 trucks
  • a Hino Dutro truck
  • Toyota Land Cruiser
  • Toyota Prado
  • Nissan NP200
  • Range Rover
  • Hino Ranger
  • Land Rover Discovery.

Residential Stands

Sometime in 2011, Chitukutuku reportedly acquired residential properties namely:

  • Property measuring 4 048 square metres held under Deed of Transfer 3232/11 situated at Lot 1 of Lot 3 of Lot 56A Borrowdale Estate, Harare
  • another one measuring 8 853 square metres held under Deed of Transfer 3885/11 situated at Lot 3 of Subdivision C of Subdivision B of Subdivision D of Nthaba of Glen Lorne.

Chitukutuku built or acquired a multi-million dollar thatched precast-walled house at the top of a mountain at Belmont Farm, Goromonzi, adding he also has six state-of-the-art fowl runs, five tractors, a 10-tonne UD truck, 4 x 200-litre PVC water tanks, as well as several structures at the farm.[2]

Companies

Apart from a long list of expensive properties, Chitukutuku is also said to be the owner of two renowned companies namely;

  • Hotspikes Trading (Pvt) Ltd
  • Farm Pride (Private) Limited situated at 49 Kent Road, Chisipite, Harare and
  • Champions Insurance Company, which boasts of assets that were estimated at over US$15 million in 2019.[2]

Lawsuits

Bribery Case

Appearing in court on 18 March 2021, Fremus Enterprises (Pvt) Ltd director Freddy Chimbari alleged that Chitukutuku received kickbacks totalling US$144 000 from his company after it had been awarded overpriced tenders by Zinara for road rehabilitation in five districts.

Chimbari was awarded US$20 million in contracts for the rehabilitation of roads in Zaka, Buhera, Mhondoro-Ngezi, Murehwa and Goromonzi without following tender procedures and in return would give Chitukutuku the kick-backs.

The State alleges that between 2010 to 2013, Chitukutuku would direct rural district councils to award tenders for road works to Fremus Enterprises without following tender processes. The contracts had a total value of US$20 000 000, which Zinara paid to the company.[3]

Corruptly Acquired Assets

In March 2020 there were reports that Chitukutuku was set to lose a total of six houses, a fleet of vehicles and several companies — including an insurance company — if the civil courts agreed with the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) that he and his wife probably acquired the large block of assets using proceeds of corruption.

The NPA filed an application asking the High Court for an order to confiscate the identified properties owned by the Chitukutuku couple.

The movable properties, which the State sought to confiscate included a Mazda T35 truck registration number ACN 2758, Mazda T35 (CAN 0695), Hino Dutro (ABI 2738), Toyota Land Cruiser (ADF 8240), Prado (ACP 9977), Nissan NP200 (ACN 0713), Range Rover (ACM 2555), Hino Ranger (ACU 6845), Land Rover Discovery (ADA 7621), five tractors, a 10-tonne UD truck and four water tanks.

Immovable properties listed for forfeiture included the couple’s Borrowdale estate measuring around an acre, Lot 3 Glen Lorne, Borrowdale, an upmarket Farm House, Farm Pride (Pvt) Ltd, Chisipite Road and Champions Insurance Company.

Another property that was targeted for civil forfeiture and indirectly owned by Chitukutuku is a company called Hotspikes Trading (Pvt) Ltd. It owns subdivision A of Sentosa of Mabelreign, Harare, measuring 9 536 square metres.

The company also owns another property known as Remainder of Lot 1 of Lot E of Colne Valley of Reitfontein measuring 4 552 square metres.

In his sworn statement, the acting national director of public prosecutions in the NPA, Mr Justine Uladi argued that there is a reasonable probability that Chitukutuku corruptly caused and generated flows of millions of dollars to favoured corporate entities for his personal gain and illicit enrichment.[1]


US$29 000 Debt

In January 2020, Chitukutuku was taken to court by Haingate Agro Equipment (Private) Limited (Haingate) after he allegedly failed to pay US$29 000 for farming equipment supplied to him.

Haingate approached the High Court seeking an order compelling Chitukutuku to settle the debt.

The debt had been pending since 2013 and according to the firm, Chitukutuku refused to pay despite demand.

Court papers showed that the parties entered into an agreement in 2013 for the supply of various farming equipment that included 16 dish disk harrows, three dish ploughs, a ripper and a ridger. The farming implements were supplied on credit and parties agreed Chitukutu would settle the debt within six months. Chitukutuku paid US$15 000 on the 18th of November 2013 and another payment of US$2 000 on the 1st of October 2017 leaving a balance of US$22 300 including the accumulated interest. Haingate told the court that by July 1 2019, Chitukutuku owed a total of US$29 531, 43 including interest. The outcome of the case was not reported.[4]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 Fidelis Munyoro, Ex-Zinara chief to lose 6 houses, vehicles, The Herald, Published: March 18, 2020, Retrieved: April 25, 2021
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Freeman Razemba, Ex-Zinara boss explains his millions, The Herald, Published: September 9, 2019, Retrieved: April 25, 2021
  3. Tendai Rupapa, ‘Ex-Zinara boss got bribes for contracts’, The Herald, Published: March 19, 2021, Retrieved: April 25, 2021
  4. Mary Taruvinga, Former Zinara Boss Dragged To Court Over US$29 000 Debt, NewZimbabwe.com, Published: January 17, 2020, Retrieved: April 25, 2021

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