The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) has come under intense scrutiny after awarding JEFFM Auctions a contract to dispose of obsolete fleets and items, despite the company and its director, Jeffrey Mubaiwa, facing multiple convictions and ongoing legal issues.
JEFFM Auctions and Mubaiwa were recently convicted by the courts for defrauding the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) in the auctions they conducted.
The same company and its director are currently involved in another court case for converting proceeds from a NetOne auction to personal use.
These actions have raised serious concerns about the integrity of the ZRP’s decision to award them the contract.
The Sunday Mail, in its issue of March 9, 2025, published an advert announcing an upcoming ZRP auction to be managed by JEFFM Auctions.
While this may seem like a routine event, the involvement of individuals with criminal records and pending lawsuits in the government procurement process raises significant red flags.
According to government policy, entities and directors with criminal backgrounds or ongoing legal battles are not eligible to be awarded such contracts. This latest development has led many to cry foul, with some labeling it as “daylight corruption.”
The controversy surrounding JEFFM Auctions and Mubaiwa is not new. In 2024, Mubaiwa and his company were convicted for their involvement in fraudulent activities related to ZIMRA.
The crimes occurred between 2021 and 2022 and involved the illegal sale of vehicles belonging to ZIMRA, bypassing official public auctions.
Mubaiwa was found guilty of preparing fraudulent invoices and pocketing the proceeds from these unauthorized sales. One such instance involved the sale of a 2003 MG Rover, which was listed as unsold during a public auction at Kazungula Border Post.
However, Mubaiwa later fraudulently claimed it was sold for US$2,863, even though it had been privately sold to an individual. Similar activities were uncovered with a Land Rover Discovery, which Mubaiwa also sold privately, leading to a loss of US$9,794 for ZIMRA.
As a result of these convictions, JEFFM Auctions was fined US$700 for the first count of fraud and US$500 for the second.
Mubaiwa, the director, was personally fined and sentenced to six months in prison, with the sentence suspended for five years on the condition of good behavior. This conviction, however, does not seem to have deterred the ZRP from awarding the company a new contract.
In addition to his past convictions, Mubaiwa is currently embroiled in another legal battle involving NetOne, a state-owned telecommunications company.
He was contracted to auction obsolete equipment, vehicles, and furniture belonging to NetOne in July 2024, generating $172,204 in proceeds.
However, Mubaiwa allegedly deposited only $39,000 into the company’s account and pocketed the remaining $133,204.
This led to his arrest by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) for theft of trust property. He was released on bail but faces further proceedings in the Harare Magistrates’ Court.
The decision by ZRP to award this contract to JEFFM Auctions has raised serious concerns about the level of scrutiny applied to government procurement processes and whether corruption is being overlooked.
