DISCIPLINARY hearings against the 27 Harare City Council employees accused of clandestinely authorising unregistered car sales garages to operate in the city are set to resume on Wednesday. REPORT BY MOSES MATENGA STAFF REPORTER
The hearings started last Thursday with the council’s acting valuation director Ebben Francisco appearing before a board led by the local authority’s industrial relations manager Jabulani Dube with Onias Rusike and Gift Jumburu prosecuting while Harare lawyer Jeremiah Bhamu will represent the workers.
“All the witnesses testified and the matter will proceed on Wednesday,” Bhamu said yesterday.
Charges against Francisco and his subordinates are that they allegedly allowed unlicenced dealers to operate car sales lots in the city in return for kickbacks.
The alleged scam was unearthed last year after Local Government minister Ignatius Chombo commissioned an inquiry committee led by TelOne finance director Ellen Chivaviro to probe the local authority.
The committee revealed that out of about 200 car sales premises in Harare, only one had proper documentation.
It also exposed several shady deals believed to be involving councillors and council officials.
Meanwhile, sources said the net was closing in on other officials from the urban planning division believed to be linked to the alleged scam.
