KWEKWE — Kwekwe City Council has paid its embattled treasurer Albert Zingwe $2 728,70 as terminal benefits following allegations Local Government minister Ignatius Chombo denied ever issuing a directive to have him reinstated.
Through their lawyers, Willmot and Bennet, council last week wrote to Zingwe advising him that the Shadreck Tobaiwa-led council was not going to comply with the August 5 directive issued from Chombo’s office to have the fired treasurer reinstated and they had therefore processed his terminal benefits.
“. . . put more clearly our client (Kwekwe City Council) will not comply with the directive allegedly issued by the Minister and has no intention to do so. Meanwhile we confirm that our client has since paid your client (Zingwe’s) terminal benefits into his account,” reads part of the letter.
Zingwe — an employee of Kwekwe City Council for 21 years where he served in different capacities before being fired on December 23 last year — has since instructed his bank through his lawyers Makonese and Partners to return the money to council.
“We are instructed as we hereby do, request that the said amount be reverted back to City of Kwekwe bank account,” reads part of the letter from Zingwe’s lawyers to FBC bank.
Council effected an internal cash transfer of $2 728,70 from account 3442546050365 on October 7, to Zingwe’s account 3042587870258, which was signed by town clerk Emanuel Musara and the acting treasurer Morris Mutema who also doubles as the internal audit manager.
Zingwe’s lawyer Carol Mugabe said the fight was not over and they would continue to challenge what she said was the unfair and illegal dismissal of their client in a matter that seems headed for the High Court.
“We are in the process of vigorously challenging the unlawful dismissal of our client,” said Mugabe, without elaborating what course of action they would be taking.
