Former Finance minister Ignatius Chombo, who is facing various allegations of fraud, bribery, corruption, criminal nuisance and criminal abuse of office yesterday advised the court that he would soon apply for further relaxation of his bail conditions after his case was postponed for the umpteenth time.
BY DESMOND CHINGARANDE
Chombo, who is being charged together with former Zanu PF youth leaders, Innocent Hamandishe, Mathew Nleya and Kudzanai Chipanga, on criminal nuisance charges, appeared before magistrate, Victoria Mashamba, who remanded the matter to June 14, pending finalisation of the investigations.The former minister’s lawyer, Lovemore Madhuku filed a notice to have his client’s punishing bail condition further relaxed.
Initially, Chombo was reporting to the police twice every day as part of his bail conditions, before the courts reduced it to once a day from Monday to Friday.
On another docket of criminal abuse of office, Chombo stands accused of fraudulently transferring a Harare City Council property worth $900 000 into his name.
Lazarus Chimba and Rejoice Pazvakavambwa are his co-accused in the matter.
Chombo has also been accused of having received an application from City of Harare for a change of use for an open space in Helensvale into a residential area in September 2006.
He allegedly used his power as Local Government minister then to allocate the land to a company he co-owns, Harvest-Net Enterprises. The property is worth $2,7 million.
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On the third count, Chombo is accused of defrauding the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe through the Crops and Livestock Support Facility, where he received $14 billion in Zimbabwean dollars. Chipanga and Hamandishe’s charges arose from a press conference on November 14, where Chipanga accused former Zimbabwe Defence Forces Commander General Constantino Chiwenga of stealing money realised from diamond mining in Marange. Eddie Nyazamba appeared for the State.
