NetOne lost over US$1 million in a USSD server gateway deal when top management, including the firm's chief executive Lazarus Muchenje allegedly ignored advice from engineers on the associated national security risks of having foreigners control telecommunications traffic, the Harare Magistrates' Court heard yesterday.
Yesterday, seven executives from NetOne, including Muchenje, and a former intern were in court for remand on charges of criminal abuse of office or alternatively fraud.
Agarwal proposed to the trio that NetOne should provide nine million minutes on-net voice termination service to Bankai Pvt Ltd, valued at US$1 million at an interconnection rate of US$0,13 per minute.
After signing the agreement with Bankai Pvt Ltd, it is further alleged that on December 12, Muchenje connived with Gutu, Manguwa and Kadenhe and supplied Bankai with 2 000 NetOne numbers without sim cards.
On January 16, Muchenje, the court heard, connived with Gutu and Chingombe and corruptly entered another agreement with Bridgevoice INC a company incorporated under the laws of United States of America to sell NetOne airtime overseas by connecting Bankai to NetOne's prepaid platform.
