Police have been tasked with investigating allegations of corruption, money laundering and diversion of funds to external sources against medical aid society CIMAS by a former executive.
This comes at a time when the Ministry of Health and Child Care allowed the Extraordinary General Assembly of Cimas to be held after canceling it at the last minute due to reservations expressed about why it was held on the basis of the judicial audit initiated by the Board of Directors instead of awaiting the audit initiated by the Ministry as the body. the organization.
Cimas has since issued a circular notifying members that the Extraordinary General Assembly has now been set for 2 May.
Health and Child Welfare Minister Dr Asbet Munganidze said the ministry had summoned the police to find out if any criminal act had been committed.
“Remember that there are complaints filed that are of a criminal nature, so it is wise to invite those in charge to investigate allegations of criminal behavior so that the law takes its course,” Dr. Munganidze said.
He added that the ministry will hold a meeting this week with the weapons responsible for enforcing the law. The meeting aims to clarify the issues that need investigation. “Once this happens, law enforcement agencies will intervene.”
At the extraordinary general meeting, the board intends to present the results of the forensic audit initiated by the board although a second review is now underway after the regulator said it wanted to conduct an independent forensic audit and has since appointed accountancy and audit firm Ralph & Bomet.
A source said: “Other issues that will likely be raised at the extraordinary general meeting are why the former director who complained was not interviewed by the first team of auditors and why the forensic audit was conducted while the people concerned were in office.”
Cimas Board Chairperson Ms. Emma Fundera declined to respond to queries sent to her. Commenting on the Extraordinary General Assembly meeting, Dr. Munganidze said that the Ministry is closely following developments in Simas.
“We have asked the Board of Directors to provide us with their forensic audit report. We want to determine whether this addresses our concerns, but if it fails we will insist on conducting an independent forensic audit as per our previous guidance. We will also send our representative to attend the Extraordinary General Meeting to ensure that all Something that is done openly and in a way that protects members.
Dr. Munganidze said the ministry is aware that the community requires staff and patients to sign power of attorney forms, but it will ensure that the system is not abused. It is permitted to seek proxies from members who will not attend in person, but members cannot be forced to give their proxies.
Longtime Cimas board member, Mr Chester Mhende, said there was a need to guard against using proxy members as this could be abused.
“The regulator may have to review the proxies in light of the seriousness of the matters at hand. I am also of the view that the notice for the meeting does not provide an agenda and where a copy of the forensic report could be collected as members need to see it before the meeting,” Mr Mohandi said.
The dispute at Cimas began when the then Director-General, Dr Sakrivis Chirisa, who is now grappling with Cimas over the cancellation of his employment contract, raised several complaints, among them that the association had embarked on unviable expansion projects locally and abroad.
Other allegations include awarding contracts to friends, embezzling funds by renovating clinics at unaffordable costs, and issuing loans to senior management totaling US$10 million.
Dr. Chirisa, represented by Dr. Rodgers Matsikidze of Matsikidze Law Firm, is appealing the termination of his contract.
In his petition to the parent ministry, Dr Chirisa said some of the projects he described as unviable include the US$2 million refurbishment of the Borrowdale Clinic despite it being a rented building, and the refurbishment of the Mashonaland Holdings Building estimated at a budget of US$3 million which costs 2 Million US dollars. Now higher than what was originally used to build it, the purchases of companies in neighboring countries are believed to be shell companies. Announce
