Temba Dube Deputy News Editor
ONE of the suspended Mpilo Central Hospital executives yesterday returned to work, sparking fears that employees who gave investigators information on possible fraud could be victimised.
Mxolisi Sibanda, the chairperson of the central buying unit surprised staff yesterday when he showed up at his office and started work.
The Health Services Board (HSB) in April suspended Sibanda, chief executive officer Dr Lawrence Mantiziba, operations director Duduza Regina Moyo and finance director Charles Govo without pay after an audit uncovered irregularities that allegedly prejudiced the hospital of millions of dollars.
The hospital’s acting chief executive officer, Dr Leonard Mabandi said he had received calls that Sibanda was back at work.
“I’m on leave. I got calls that Sibanda was back at work. I called the HSB and they said his reinstatement letter would follow at a later date,” said Dr Mabandi.
Sibanda and the other executives went for disciplinary hearings on September 14.
The outcome has not been made public.
Dr Mantiziba bunked the hearing because his contract with the hospital expired on September 2 and was not renewed.
Sibanda is accused of fraudulent behaviour and abuse of office. He allegedly connived with other officials to facilitate double payment to suppliers.
Sources at the hospital said they were beginning to fear the audit was a sham. “A similar audit was done in 2011. It came up with similar findings but no action was taken,” said one of the sources.
The sources said workers who gave information to auditors were systematically victimised afterwards until they either quit or got fired.
“We fear the same thing may happen again. No one knows the outcome of the audit. It’s highly irregular for someone to go straight back to work after a disciplinary hearing. Paperwork to clear the person of wrongdoing comes first,” said the source.
Officials at the hospital said a majority of the 14 employees who were arrested on September 5 were supposed to be state witnesses in fraud cases against Moyo and Govo. “Something funny is going on. Those people spent almost 48 hours behind bars yet they were innocent. That’s why the court couldn’t prefer charges against them. I think it was just scare tactics to shut them up,” said an official.
“Most of the staff here go beyond the call of duty and make sacrifices to keep this institution running. Their good work is being undone by the negative publicity surrounding this case. The Ministry of Health should finalise it quickly because it is harming the hospital,” said another official.
When the executives were suspended, The Minister of Health Dr David Parirenyatwa promised heads would roll if they were found guilty. He spoke passionately about the need to weed out bad apples and return investor and patient confidence to the hospital.
He was not reachable on his mobile phone yesterday.
The permanent secretary in the ministry, Dr Gerald Gwinji had, by presstime, not responded to questions about the outcome of the hearings, emailed to him on November 29.
He had promised to respond on the same day but has not been reachable on his mobile phone.
Sources within the HSB said Moyo and Govo’s suspensions had been extended to March next year.
A preliminary audit by local accounting firm PNA revealed the hospital could have lost millions of dollars through fraud.
An extensive audit by the Ministry of Health and Child Care upheld the findings and exposed more rot.
The audit suggested Mpilo Central Hospital executives acted as a syndicate to fraudulently bleed millions of dollars from the institution’s coffers.
The audit, covering the period between January 2012 and May 2015, shows that the accounting system at one of the country’s biggest referral hospitals was virtually non-existent.
Auditors said officials abused resources and funds without accountability.
It also revealed that executives flouted disciplinary procedures to reinstate convicted criminals that perpetuated fraud and corruption.
Moyo is facing 11 counts of misconduct and abuse of office, Sibanda is facing five, Govo has one count and Dr Mantiziba three.
The Chronicle broke the story on the alleged corruption in February, when a $3 million tender, which had been awarded to Bulawayo businessman, Ashton Mpofu’s New Planet Company, was cancelled after he allegedly refused to bribe Dr Mantiziba and Moyo.
Both strongly deny allegations of soliciting bribes. The latter alleged that Mpofu threatened to harm her following the cancellation of the tender and requested a bodyguard.
The tender, according to the audit report, had been illegally and unnecessarily split into smaller ones. Auditors said if the contract had been given to one company, it would have cost approximately $1,049 million.
After being split up, it ended up costing more than $2 million. Corruption has always been whispered about at Mpilo Central Hospital but no action was taken until Dr Parirenyatwa appointed a new board last year.
The board comprises Sichilesile Moyo-Ncube as chairperson, Siqokoqela Mphoko, Goodness Msimanga, Hudson Hlabangana, Prince Kunaka and Nomathemba Ndiweni.