Zimpapers Logo

Dr David Parirenyatwa

Nqobile Tshili, Chronicle Correspondent
THE Minister of Health and Child Care Dr David Parirenyatwa has said his ministry is considering the suitability of United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) board chairman Mr Francis Chitehwe to continue on his post following $50 000 fraud allegations that saw him resigning from ZB Life.

Mr Chitehwe recently resigned as ZB Life Assurance Limited sales manager after the financial institution instituted an investigation following a report made to the police that he had defrauded a former Bulawayo Polytechnic employee of nearly $50 000 in an insurance scam.

In an interview, Dr Parirenyatwa said he had written to Mr Chitehwe demanding an explanation on the allegations levelled against him before a position is taken on his UBH board chairmanship.

“I have not seen him since the issue was reported in the press. But I have written to him so that he explains himself. After that, we are going to see what action to take against him,” said Dr Parirenyatwa.

Last week, ZB Financial Holdings’ head of corporate services Mr Shadowsight Chiganze told The Chronicle that Mr Chitehwe had resigned from his position.  This was after the Chronicle had exposed the alleged scam.

Ms Winnie Mapuranga, a former accountant at the Bulawayo Polytechnic made a report to the police three weeks ago after Mr Chitehwe allegedly made her pay him $46 400 over a period of three years on a promise that he would facilitate a $1 million business loan from two life assurance policies with the company.

To silence her, Mr Chitehwe allegedly told the woman that he was a Central Intelligence Organisation operative. Last week, Mr Chitehwe’s lawyer, Mr Tawengwa Hara said his client was going to give his side of the story to the Chronicle saying “There is so much that he has to say and I think it will come out better if he says it himself.”

Efforts to interview Mr Chitehwe were fruitless as he kept shifting goalposts.

A source yesterday said Mr Chitehwe was negotiating with Ms Mapuranga to possibly repay her so that she could withdraw her case from the police.

Ms Mapuranga told police last month that she paid varying amounts to Mr Chitehwe’s personal and EcoCash accounts and other transactions were made to his wife and son’s EcoCash accounts, all amounting to more than $46 000.

She said in September 2011, she took a life assurance policy for $20 000 with Mr Chitehwe being her representative and in 2013 he told her that there were loans available at ZB Bank and advised her to apply.

Ms Mapuranga signed the loan application form in Mr Chitehwe’s office for $35 000 before he advised her in June 2014 to take another policy for $15 000 so that she could use the two policies as collateral for the      $35 000 loan.

She said Mr Chitehwe demanded money from her to clear interest and stamp duty until she lost her job at Bulawayo Polytechnic after she stole more than $7 000 from the institution.

Ms Mapuranga said after she lost her job, she turned destitute after she was kicked out of the house she was staying in at Bulawayo Polytechnic.

— @nqotshili