By Mary Taruvinga
A FORMER Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) official, Darlington Makosa, risks losing his properties after a lifestyle audit by the former employer unearthed his acquired riches, were worth more than what he had worked for during his time of employment.
Prosecutor General Kumbirai Hodzi has applied for civil forfeiture of his residential stands and upmarket houses alleging that Makosa unlawfully acquired them using State funds.
The Kadoma City Council has also been cited as a second respondent in its official capacity as seller of the alleged housing stands.
A principal law officer in the Asset Forfeiture Unit, Kelvin Mufute deposed an affidavit on behalf of Hodzi saying a lifestyle audit carried against Makosa showed that he acquired his wealth through corrupt means.
“I observed that during the scope and course of work, ZIMRA commenced investigations on October 2019 following a tip-off from a whistle blower alleging that Darlington Makosa, a ZIMRA employee had acquired property using funds from corrupt activities and had abused his office to obtain the funds,” Mufute said.
He said the investigation involved conducting an analysis of changes in asset base (net worth) and investigating allegations of abuse of office.
It also included conducting searches for immovable properties at Deeds Office at the Kadoma City Council.
According to court papers, Makosa was employed by ZIMRA on June 1 2010 as a trainee revenue officer and he subsequently became a full revenue officer on June 1 2012.
It is alleged that during his employment with Zimra – from 2010 to October 20 2019 – he earned $124 779 cumulatively.
On his ZIMRA asset declaration during investigations, Makosa submitted that he bought three residential stands in Kadoma, two worth US$10 000 each and one valued at US$5 400.
However, investigations established that he had acquired four more housing stands in Westbrooke and Mornington all in Kadoma and worth US$433 550 in total.
Makosa also allegedly built five single-storey two bed-roomed cluster houses at a residential stand in Westbrooke valued at US$66 000. He also allegedly built a double-storey house at stand number 6215 valued at US$94 000, but failed to account for it.
“I aver that Makosa refused to give an explanation to account for the source of funds for the purchase of residential stands and construction of a house in Westbrooke and Mornington in Kadoma and that he tendered his resignation from work on October 20 2019,” Mufute said.
“I concluded that Makosa lied because he did not declare all properties that he purchased to his employer.
“The total value of the properties registered in his name is US$196 015. 50 and is more than the amount of money he was paid by ZIMRA, which is US$124 779,” Mufute argued before he requested for a civil forfeiture of Chirara’s properties.
The case is pending.
