THREE Harare City Council bosses who were last year charged with abuse of public office after they allegedly awarded themselves unsanctioned allowances as Harare Municipal Medical Aid Society (HMMAS) board members, have been placed off remand after their lawyer Admire Rubaya successfully challenged their continued stay on remand.
BY MOSES MATENGA
Council health director Prosper Chonzi, HMMAS board chairperson Shasekant Jogi and Councillor Panganai Charumbira were removed from remand on Tuesday after they appeared in court facing allegations of swindling the medical aid society of $200 000.
“We challenged their continued placement on remand.
HMMAS is not a council or State organisation, so they are not public officials and should have never been charged with abuse of public office,” Rubaya said.
Allegations against the suspects were that they acted in connivance with other HMMAS board members and paid themselves amounts ranging from $5 000 to $20 000 in allowances for board meetings.
According to court papers, the said allowances “were not due to them and were contrary to the council regulations” and as a result of their actions, City of Harare allegedly suffered an actual prejudice of $200 000 and nothing was recovered.
