A Central Intelligence Office (CIO) operative, Patrick Badza who extorted a Chinese business to give him US$9 900 in order to assist him process work permits for his 33 foreign employees was last Friday sentenced to an effective three years in jail.
Regional magistrate Mr Ngoni Nduna initially sentenced him to four years and suspended one year on condition of good behaviour.
Handing down his ruling, Mr Nduna castigated Badza’s behaviour which he said damaged the reputation of Government, adding that it was wrong of him to take advantage of his position to fill his personal pockets.
The complainant in the matter is Kyle Dongchuan Wang who is the managing director of Live Touch(Private) Limited based at Redcliff in Kwekwe.
The State, led by Mr Oscar Madhume proved that sometime in 2021, Live Touch started an expansion drive into the mining of limestone which is a major component in cement production and they required more technical experts to come from China.
Between March 2021 and mid-April 2021, Dongchuan Wang submitted Temporal Employment Permits (TEP) applications to the Immigration Department for 33 Chinese technical experts.
The applications were further submitted to the Committee on Foreign Recruitment to deliberate and process them.
The court heard that on April 21, 2021, the committee made a site tour at Live Touch mine and were shown how they operate by Junior Zigora, the operations officer.
After touring the plant, the Committee held a short meeting with Zigora and promised to review the TEP application process on May 19, 2021.
On May 14, 2021, Zigora received a call from Badza who stated that he was from the President’s Office and wanted details of the person who was responsible for TEP applications at Live Touch.
Badza solicited for a reward to make favourable recommendations for the TEP applications and Zigora referred him to Dongchuan Wang.
Badza repeatedly demanded a bribe, prompting Dongchuan Wang to report the case to Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) on May 17, 2021.
A trap authority was facilitated the following day by the investigating officers.
On May 18, 2021, Badza contacted Dongchuan Wang and they agreed to meet at a local hotel in Harare.
During the meeting, Badza solicited US$300 for each Chinese expert to make a total of US$9 900.
He stated that all the 33 TEP application forms were in his office waiting for his approval and recommendations to the Committee on Foreign Recruitment.
Dongchuan Wang promised to give Badza USD$3 500, as initial deposit and the balance was to be paid after the issuance of the TEP.
On the same day, at around 1pm, Badza was then handed US$3 500 at Sam Levy Village in Harare by Dongchuan Wang and six ZACC officials were observing the transaction from a distance.
After receiving the money and placing it in his front left side pocket, he was immediately arrested.
Source ZimSituation
