by TZN Correspondent
FORMER Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) chief executive Happison Muchechetere, one of the men who made headlines two years ago for earning obscene salaries, has hit hard times as he is failing to settle a $24 000 legal bill resulting in his household property being attached.
The Sheriff of the High Court this week announced the upcoming sale of Muchechetere’s household furniture after the once flamboyant war veteran failed to pay his lawyers, Dube Manikai and Hwacha, for legal services rendered on a case in which he was being accused of defrauding ZBC and criminal abuse of office. Muchechetere, who was taking home over $40 000 per month when he was dismissed from ZBC at the end of 2013, stood accused of defrauding corporation of nearly over $800 000 after he allegedly inflated the cost of an Outside Broadcasting (OB) van. Muchechetere bought the van from China for $100 000 and went on the claim that it had cost $900 000.
President Robert Mugabe commissioned the van.
With the help of the law firm, Muchechetere has since escaped the serious fraud charges, and he now faces lesser charges of violating a procurement law that stipulates that any purchases by a government department that is above $50 000 should go through the Tender Board.
He however failed to pay for the legal services, resulting in Dube Manikai and Hwacha dragging him to the High Court where in December last year the court ordered that he settles the $24 000 bill. His failure to pay up resulted in the Sheriff attaching his household property.
The same sheriff announced the attachment and impending sale of a commercial property belonging to former legislator and opposition politician, Job Sikhala, after he failed to repay CBZ Bank an undisclosed sum of money. Sikhala’s commercial property is at Huruyadzo Shopping Centre in Chitungwiza’s St Mary’s suburb.
