Harare – Emmanuel Fundira, the chairman of the National Social Security Authority (NSSA), was questioned by police on Wednesday in connection with an extortion case involving Paula January, a former senior employee of Rainbow Tourism Group (RTG).
While Fundira is not currently under investigation, The NewsHawks understands that he was interviewed based on audio recordings in which Paula January is allegedly heard demanding payment or reinstatement to her former position from RTG executives. In the recordings, she threatens to unleash the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) on RTG executives if her demands are not met.
A police source revealed that “The police are keen to interview Paula over the extortion case. They have been looking for her but have not located her, because she is in Malawi. Fundira was however questioned on Thursday.” The source added that “The matter is being investigated under CR number 483/2/25. It was reported at Harare Central Police Station, Kopje branch.”
Paula January resigned from RTG in controversial circumstances after the hotel group launched an internal investigation into a suspicious child drowning incident at Kadoma Hotel and Conference Centre in 2019, where she served as the general manager.
Police are reportedly keen to establish the nature of Fundira’s relationship with Paula January, particularly given that she appeared to be using information he allegedly provided in her alleged extortion attempts.
In the audio recordings, some of which The NewsHawks has listened to, Paula January is allegedly heard threatening RTG executives with a lifestyle audit and warning them of an impending Zacc raid, often well in advance of it actually occurring. Sources say she would sometimes even provide the executives with the dates of planned Zacc visits, which subsequently transpired as she had stated.
She is also alleged to have forwarded messages of her communication with Zacc officials during their meetings with RTG board members, possibly in an attempt to demonstrate her influence.
Acting on information allegedly provided by Paula January, Zacc raided the RTG Corporate Office on 13 September 2023, armed with a search and seizure warrant for fraud. The warrant stemmed from a five-year strategy retreat held in Dubai by the board and senior managers. The anti-corruption body demanded cabinet authority for the trip, as well as travel and payment records.
RTG subsequently applied for an urgent stay of execution, which the High Court granted on 18 September 2023. RTG argued that, as a listed company, its officials do not require cabinet approval to travel. The court ultimately ruled in RTG’s favour, dismissing the search and seizure warrant.
However, Zacc returned on 28 February 2024 with another warrant alleging money laundering and illegal foreign currency dealings. The body sought payroll and employment records of six senior executives: MacGerald Tendai Madziwanyika, Napoleon Kudakwashe Mtukwa, Tapiwa Mari, Tichaona Gabriel Hwingwiri, Laurence Dhemba, and Shupikai Marware, who are facing serious allegations.
Despite the RTG board investigating the matter and absolving its executives, Zacc is continuing to pursue the case. A meeting last month involving Nssa and RTG board members and executives also exonerated the RTG executives and recommended that the Zacc investigation be dropped. The meeting acknowledged The NewsHawks’ story and concluded that the Zacc raid was part of an effort to destabilise RTG.
Paula January allegedly mentions Fundira several times in the audio recordings, suggesting that she was receiving sensitive RTG information, including details of executives’ salaries and allowances, from him.
As the chairperson of Nssa, Fundira has access to RTG information, given that the pension authority is the major shareholder in the tourism group, holding a 91.6% equity stake in the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange (ZSE)-listed company.
In a conversation dated 18 October 2023, Paula January allegedly states that she was aware that RTG executives had been given gratuities. In one audio, she is allegedly heard saying “let me look for an email from Fundira; Fundira, Fundira…” before reading out the exact amounts each RTG executive received.
Paula January also allegedly confesses that Fundira harboured a personal dislike of RTG chief executive MacGerald Tendai Madziwanyika and shares details of a meeting the Nssa chairperson had with the RTG boss in Dubai. The NewsHawks has confirmed that the Dubai meeting did indeed take place.
Fundira did not respond to questions sent via WhatsApp on Thursday. His mobile phone was not connecting.
Nssa is planning to offload 56% of its shares in RTG over time. Market analysts believe that Fundira is part of an ongoing plot to devalue RTG shares in order to facilitate the cheap accumulation of stock.
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