Blessed Mhlanga Own Correspondent The fate of suspended Kwekwe city treasurer Albert Zingwe, who was found guilty on six counts of fraud, corruption and insubordination, will be decided at a special full council meeting on Thursdday.
This follows recommendations by a three-member inquiry team set up to probe him over allegations of corruption
According to a special council meeting agenda delivered to councillors on Tuesday evening, the city fathers will discuss the recommendations put forward by the inquiry team which was appointed by the local authority to preside over the matter.
The probe team, made up of Kwekwe provincial magistrate Tendai Mahwe, Kadoma town clerk Malvin Dondo and Masvingo city treasurer only indentified as T Dube, found Zingwe guilty on six out of the eight charges he was facing and recommended that he be sacked.
The issue is likely to cause as storm amid reports that some of the councillors were opposed to the probe team’s findings and recommendations. Zingwe’s lawyers have dismissed the team as biased against their client and vowed to appeal against the ruling.
Councillor Weston Masiya said: “We have evidence that the inquiry team was appointed in November by a person who is not in council and that means rules of natural justice and access to a fair hearing were not followed. It makes the inquiry illegal and therefore the recommendations should not be adopted.”
But, Kwekwe mayor Shadreck Tobaiwa has steadfastly said the inquiry team was legal and its recommendations should be considered.
In an affidavit presented in court in April, Tobaiwa argued that the three-member team was a baby of his council and was not handpicked by town clerk Emmanuel Musara as alleged by Zingwe.
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Zingwe was first placed on forced leave in June 2010 before being called back to work in November and later suspended in December. He was facing eight charges bordering on theft, fraud and insubordination.
After today’s deliberations, council is expected to forward its resolutions to the Local Government Board for final determination.
Local Government, Rural and Urban Development minister Ignatius Chombo recently introduced a policy that all senior appointments and dismissals should be made by his office.
