TWO Chiredzi Town Council executives who were arrested last week on charges of abuse of office are continuing with their duties at the council offices.
By Garikai Mafirakureva
The duo, Wesley Kauma (town engineer) and Consider Kibiku (town planner), appeared in court last week facing criminal abuse of duty as public officers.
Kauma and Kubiku are being accused of using their positions in council to acquire two residential stands without council resolution and not paying anything for them.
United Chiredzi Residents and Ratepayers Association (Uchirra) noted the anomaly and wrote to the anti-graft body, the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission, leading to their arrest.
They were released on $10 000 bail each and were advised not to interfere with State witnesses as well as surrendering their passports and to report at Chiredzi Police Station twice every week.
However, Kauma and Kubiku, who seem unperturbed by the bail conditions, carried on with their duties at Chiredzi Town Council, attending meetings and making crucial decisions.
It is alleged Kauma, in his position as town engineer, on Wednesday attended a meeting which was between council and non-governmental organisations.
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Chiredzi town secretary Charles Muchatukwa admitted the two were still at work and that they are attending all meetings, but went on to say he was not aware of the two’s bail conditions.
“Yes, they are still at work. I didn’t know their bail conditions. Now that the issue has been brought to my attention, I have made a decision to suspend them with immediate effect, until their matter is finalised at the courts,” he said.
Uchirra advocacy officer Bernard Dachi said allowing the two to continue with their duties was trying to defeat the course of justice, because “council is a witness in the matter”.
“As Uchirra, we are appalled by such arrogance. How can someone being accused of depriving council be allowed in their premises? What if they tamper with evidence? We don’t know if the move was due to ignorance or it deliberate. But the latter seems true,” he said.
Former Local Government minister Saviour Kasukuwere once labelled Chiredzi Town Council as the most corrupt council after councillors allocated themselves 40 stands each.
In 2015, the council lost over US$31 000 after a scam that involved missing receipt books, but no one was held accountable and the matter died a natural death.
