HARARE – A devastating 76-page dossier of leaked WhatsApp conversations has pulled back the curtain on a deep-seated culture of sexual predation, professional sabotage, and systemic corruption at the heart of the Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC).
The explosive documents, which have recently surfaced, do more than just detail a corporate scandal; they expose a “casting couch” environment where high-ranking officials allegedly treat female subordinates as commodities, trading promotions and overtime payments for sexual favours. At a time when Zimbabweans are grappling with persistent power cuts and a struggling economy, the revelation that “company cars and romance” have become a currency of corruption within the national power utility has sparked intense public debate.
At the centre of this storm is Lesley Sibanda, a dedicated artisan in the Revenue Assurance department, who has come forward with harrowing allegations against her supervisor, Engineer Innocent Chiturumani. Her 76-page dossier, which includes verified chats dating from 2023 to 2025, paints a grim picture of a workplace turned into a hunting ground.
A Pattern of Persistence
According to Sibanda, the nightmare began in December 2023. What started as professional interaction quickly devolved into persistent and unwanted romantic advances from Chiturumani.
“It came as a shock because I never expected this from a man of his position. I felt compromised and increasingly unsafe at work as his behaviour continued unchecked,” Sibanda told reporters.
The dossier reveals a relentless campaign. For nearly two years, the senior engineer allegedly bombarded his subordinate with proposals. Sibanda’s responses, she explains, were carefully crafted to be non-committal—a survival tactic used by many women in the Zimbabwean workplace who fear the repercussions of a flat “no.”
“I could not say no openly because I had been told he could make life difficult for me. I was hoping he would eventually give up, but he persisted,” she said.
The Price of a Refusal
When the romantic overtures failed to yield results, the “generosity” allegedly turned into coercion. Sibanda claims that Chiturumani promised her material rewards, including a company car and payments for overtime she never worked, if she agreed to be his “companion.”
“He told me that if I agreed to be his companion, he would buy me a car and facilitate overtime payments without me having to work. I was repeatedly approached, even by colleagues encouraging me to give him a chance because ‘he was generous to everyone who did’, but I refused,” she recalled.
However, the cost of her integrity was high. Sibanda alleges that after she formally rejected the advances, she became the target of a calculated campaign of professional victimisation and physical sabotage. She described how her assistant was reassigned, and colleagues were allegedly instructed not to work or socialise with her, effectively isolating her within the department.
More disturbingly, Sibanda fears for her physical safety. She reported incidents where her safety belt went missing and a ladder she relied on for high-voltage work broke under suspicious circumstances. In an industry where a single mistake can be fatal, such “accidents” carry a sinister weight.
A Systemic Failure
Perhaps the most shocking aspect of the “Dossier of Shame” is not the conduct of one individual, but the institutional failure to address it. In July 2025, Sibanda took the brave step of filing a formal sexual harassment complaint.
The matter was heard by an internal ZETDC committee chaired by Engineer T. Chikomo, alongside Engineer B. Goronga and Miss L. Dupute. While the committee’s official findings acknowledged that Chiturumani had indeed made romantic advances, their conclusion was a staggering blow to the victim.
The committee dismissed the harassment allegations, citing that “Innocent Chiturumani proposed love to you and you showed no sign of negative response besides that he was your supervisor.” They further claimed the two were “still in good books” and suggested the friction was due to “sour relations” with workmates.
Their recommendation? Engineer Chiturumani was to be “cautioned,” while Sibanda was told to seek “medical attention.”
“I felt so helpless,” Sibanda said. “Every encounter or message caused stress, and I feared for my safety.”
The failure extended to the Human Resources department. When Sibanda approached the HR Manager, Mr. Khabo, seeking protection, his response was to suggest she meet with Chiturumani personally to “resolve” the matter—a suggestion that experts say is a fundamental violation of sexual harassment protocols and serves only to further traumatise the victim.
The Toll of Silence
The psychological and physical toll on Sibanda has been immense. On 26 September 2024, the stress culminated in a physical collapse. While wiring boxes at a ZESA store, Sibanda developed severe migraines and suffered an emotional breakdown.
“I fell while trying to reach the ladies’ restroom and had to be assisted by staff. The stress was unbearable. I feared for my safety, especially handling electricity, which requires complete focus,” she said.
Sibanda is reportedly not the only victim. Her dossier and subsequent interviews suggest that at least four other female employees have been subjected to similar treatment, with some allegedly complying out of fear for their livelihoods. A former colleague corroborated Sibanda’s account, describing the environment as “unacceptable, humiliating and unjust.”
The Final Blow
Despite her documented complaints and continued professionalism—evidenced by her operational reports as late as October 2025 at PMT 206 Gwabalanda—Sibanda’s career at ZETDC was cut short.
In a move that critics describe as the ultimate act of victimisation, her contract renewal interview was conducted by a panel that included Engineer Chiturumani himself.
“I was traumatised. He should have recused himself given our history. His presence and evil smirk left me terrified. After the assessment, my contract was not renewed,” she said.
The ZESA “Dossier of Shame” is more than a story of one woman’s struggle; it is a provocative look at the intersection of power, gender, and corruption in one of Zimbabwe’s most vital institutions. It highlights a systemic failure where HR departments, designed to protect employees, instead become shields for predators.
As the 76 pages of chats circulate, they serve as a haunting reminder of the “casting couch” culture that continues to plague parastatals, where the price of a job is often one’s dignity, and the cost of a “no” is one’s career.
ZETDC has yet to provide a full public response to the latest leak. Engineer Chiturumani, when approached for comment on 4 February, promised to give his side of the story but failed to appear for the scheduled meeting.
For now, the dossier remains a silent witness to a scandal that refuses to be buried.
Follow @MyZimbabweNews
