HARARE – Kwekwe-based businessman Shepherd Tundiya was charged with defeating the course of justice on Monday after allegedly approaching a witness in a criminal matter asking them to drop charges against four Members of Parliament.

Construction tycoon James Ross Goddard shopped Tundiya to the police for the approach in a matter in which Goddard is accusing members of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Mines and Energy of asking for a bribe from him.

Tundiya is the director of Avim investments which has contracts with the Hwange Colliery.

Harare magistrate Lazini Ncube heard that Goddard filed a criminal complaint against the committee’s chairperson Temba Mliswa, and fellow MPs Anele Ndebele, Prince Sibanda and Leonard Chikomba accusing them of demanding a US$400,000 bribe from him to facilitate the awarding of a mining contract with Hwange Colliery.

Prosecutor Michael Reza alleged that the December 19 meeting at Goddard’s office in Harare at which the bribe was demanded by Chikomba and Sibanda on behalf of the committee had been facilitated by Tundiya.

Tundiya allegedly emphasised that Goddard should give Chikomba and Sibanda a “token of appreciation” because they could not process the awarding of the contract without a payment.

Reza said on January 23 this year, Goddard – who is based in Bulawayo – received a phone call from Tundiya enquiring about his next visit to Harare to which he told him that he would be in Harare the following day.

Tundiya allegedly further advised Goddard that Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe governor John Mangudya wanted to meet him on the following day to discuss J R Goddard Contracting’s application for external payments in the sum of R52 million for the purchase of heavy mining equipment in South Africa.

On January 24, the court heard that Goddard and his company’s director Douglas Mapfukidze met with Tundiya at the RBZ offices and he took them to Mangudya’s office.

The prosecution alleges that Tundiya went on to advise Goddard that the applications were being processed and directed that he should withdraw the police report which he had lodged against Mliswa and the other MPs as the charges would cause great embarrassment to Mangudya.

The court heard that Tundiya further indicated that the withdrawal of the charges must be done before January 29.

Mangudya allegedly confirmed chairing the meeting on the day in question.

The following day, Goddard reported the matter to the police as he felt Tundiya had unduly interfered with an ongoing court case.

Reza told court that Tundiya’s actions were intended to obstruct the course of justice.

Tundiya was not asked to plead and was released on bail.