PSMAS looters must be prosecuted … Eddie Cross
The MDC-T parliamentarian told Parliament that close to $119 million in PSMAS cash was used to pay senior staff massive salaries and other benefits with the connivance of ministers and the permanent secretaries.
Health minister, David Parirenyatwa, along with Labour counterpart, Prisca Mupfumira – who oversee the institution – were accused of allowing corruption at PSMAS which has brought the insurer close to collapse.
Parirenyatwa, a medical doctor, has also been at the centre of controversy after he was paid $100,000 for treating PSMAS members when he was owed just $23,000.
“We have David Parirenyatwa minister of health and Prisca Mupfumira, minister of Labour and Public Service, who are responsible for running the affairs of PSMAS,” Cross said.
“We have reports that Parirenyatwa who is a doctor was given $100 000 by PSMAS under unclear circumstances.”
He added: “We want him (health minister) to come to Parliament together with Mupfumira to explain what was happening to PSMAS.
“George Charamba, who is the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Media and Information and Presidential spokesperson benefited huge amounts of money he received as a board member of PSMAS.
“This also applies to Constance Chigwamba, Permanent Secretary of Primary and Secondary Education, who received over $ 100 000 each. We want them to resign as it tantamount to corruption on what they have done.”
The MDC-T official added that government should immediately start the prosecution of all those who benefited from the PSMAS scandal and take action to recover funds paid to individuals who were “unjustly enriched”.
“We have to investigate the role of the board that was in charge of PSMAS at the time of this abuse,” said Cross.
“Prosecution should also be extended to former Board mmbers, cinluding Cuthbert Dube, who is the former Chief Executive of PSMAS.”
Cross said the top government officials received the money at a time when PSMAS with a membership of over 200,000 who are mostly civil servants was failing to pay service providers and other creditors on time.
He said those affected by the insurer’s financial problems were civil servants who were unable to access medical services.
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