UNIVERSITY of Zimbabwe (UZ) council chairman, Buzwani Mothobi has come under fire from other council members, who accused him of defying a resolution to suspend vice-chancellor Levi Nyagura over former First Lady Grace Mugabe’s contentious doctorate.
BY BLESSED MHLANGA/CHARLES LAITON/
This came shortly after the High Court nullified a warrant of search and seizure issued against Nyagura.
In an email addressed to members of the UZ council, lawyer Thembinkosi Magwaliba said the other council members were worried that Nyagura continued to report for work, in the process jeopardising investigations.
“Consequently, the situation at the university has been highly tense and is not conducive for the discharge of the normal functions of the university by all concerned,” Magwaliba wrote.
“This is because some of the subordinates to Professor Nyagura are witnesses in the on-going criminal case and have to report to him as part of the normal business duties at the university.”
Magwaliba demanded the council chairman report on the progress made in placing Nyagura on indefinite leave.
Chairman of risk and audit committee, Shingi Munyeza, accused Mothobi of acting out of sync by failing to implement council resolutions.
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“When a board passes a resolution and such resolution is not implemented at the time agreed without any explanation is tantamount to subversion of the board charter and indeed good corporate governance,” Munyeza said.
Nyagura has, however, scored a legal victory when the courts refused Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) permission to search the UZ premises.
Zacc on February 12, obtained a warrant of search and seizure with a view to obtain more information to prosecute its case against the UZ boss. But Nyagura filed an urgent chamber application seeking to thwart the commission’s bid to search the institution’s campus.
High Court judge, Justice Lavender Makoni ruled in Nyagura’s favour, nullifying Zacc’s warrant of search and seizure.
Zacc wanted to obtain more information pertaining to how Grace came to be among the PhD graduands in 2014 without the knowledge of the university council and senate.
It is the anti-graft body’s contention that Nyagura abused his position as UZ Vice Chancellor by acting contrary or inconsistent to the UZ Act.
Zacc recently charged Nyagura with abuse of office over the controversial issuance of a doctorate to Grace.
