BY DESMOND CHINGARANDE Caps United Football Club boss Farai Jere, who is facing a US$3 566 878 fraud charge involving an electricity smart meter tender, has accused jealousy competitors of causing his arrest to hijack his contract. Jere, who was arrested at the weekend, will continue his bid for freedom today with the bail hearing set to continue at the Harare Magistrates Court. The Premier Soccer League boss has left the Caps family wondering about its future in the absence of its main sponsor. Jere told magistrate Lazini Ncube that the allegations levelled against him were trumped-up. He said he had no intention of fleeing as the allegations were brought to his attention in March this year and would have escaped the borders if he feared arrest. “For a company to qualify for the tender, we had to submit a sample meter and if it passed 80% of the requirements it would qualify and my company (Helcraw Electrical) and Paramount qualified,” Jere said. “We made a follow-up on the meters and we got a report that they were perfectly working and that it was the best meter. For payment to be processed, there had to be delivery, testing of the meters and training of people as the meters were a new product and after two weeks we were paid,” Jere said. “I got a letter in March 2020 that the meters were not working properly and would be removed from the system. But in January, we were called to a meeting with ZETDC [Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company] for the roll out of the meters showing that my meter was working properly. “People now raise allegations after two years because they are aware of the US$56 million and that my company would get US$28 million. I got a letter of these investigations in March and if I wanted to flee I would have done so already,” Jere said. Jere said the alleged consultant ZESIT relied upon by the police was under investigation for hijacking Zesa projects and he was sure they also wanted to hijack his project. Jere is being charged together with two ZETDC employees Leonard Chisina and Kuziva Chikonzo.
