HARARE – Former Information Communication Technology Minister Supa Mandiwanzira has been charged with two cases of corruption and will be appear before a court on Wednesday, police said.

Mandiwanzira returned to Zimbabwe on Monday morning after a month of absence, and attended a police interview by appointment on Tuesday.

Police charged the former minister with criminal abuse of office over an audit contract awarded to Megawatt Energy (Private) Limited without going to tender.

Police spokesman Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said Mandiwanzira had “interests” in the company, and had directed the state-owned mobile network firm, NetOne, to pay Megawatt $5 million being $4 million for the service and $1 million for consultancy.

The Nyanga South MP is also charged with “unprocedurally seconding” his personal assistant Tawanda Chinembiri – a government employee at deputy director level – to the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ) board without following due process.

POTRAZ subsequently lost $35,000 in allowances drawn by Chinembiri, according to Nyathi.

In a statement on Tuesday, Mandiwanzira’s lawyers Advocates Thembinkosi Magwaliba and Brian Hungwe said: “Honourable Mandiwanzira denied the allegations and advised the police that Megawatt offered consultancy services at no cost to the government.

“That consultancy led to the recovery of tens of millions of dollars for NetOne. He explained that no corporate governance principles or any circular, were violated in the appointment of the PA as a POTRAZ board member.”

Mandiwanzira, a former journalist, was dropped from Cabinet by President Emmerson Mnangagwa in September. He previously served as Deputy Minister of Information.