Garikai Mafirakureva
Zimbabwe Anti-corruption Commission (ZACCc) investigating officer, Lindiwe Sabeka this week gave evidence against two Chiredzi Town Council officials who were facing criminal abuse of office charges.
The two council officials, town Engineer, Wesley Kauma and town planner Consider Kubiku, appeared before Chiredzi Regional magistrate Judith Zuyu, after the corruption case was transferred from the magistrate’s court.
Sabeka in her findings nailed the two top council executives when she took to the witness stand.
Kubiku and Kauma were arrested by the Zaac on four counts of criminal abuse of office early this year after United Chiredzi Residents and Ratepayers Association (Uchirra) wrote to ZACC informing them of underhand dealings involving residential stands by council officials. They are currently out on $10 000 bail each.
Kauma and Kubiku are facing four counts of criminal abuse of office dating back to 2015 when Kubiku, who was the acting Housing Director, facilitated their acquisition of stands measuring 3 609 square metres and 3 610 square metres respectively at a ridiculously low price of $500 which they did not even bother to pay.
Kubiku later sold his stand to Kauma, and the agreement of sale was produced in court by the investigating officer, which showed that he never paid anything to council as was required. Kauma proceeded to construct buildings without following proper council procedures.
According to the investigating officer the two executives’ actions resulted in depriving the local authority of its revenue collection by allocating themselves land which they did not pay for. “We received an anonymous report at our office sometime in May 2020 that Chiredzi Town Council employees are abusing their office. “We then visited the local authority in September this year.
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
Keep Reading
“We went through the files and we noted that most of the stands in question belonged to Wesley Kauma and Consider Kubiku, the executive members of council,” Sabeka said. Sabeka also said the accounting system indicated that all stands in question were never paid for while one of them which measured 3457 square metres was only paid US$200 leaving a balance of US$800.
Sabeka said Kubiku had the duty to ensure developmental control of stands in Chiredzi, to ensure that no illegal developments are mushrooming and that building inspection fees are paid for but he ignored because Kauma was his best friend.
Prosecutor Noel Muranda for the State said the stand measuring 451sq m was fully-developed despite the fact that no payment was made.
The duo is being represented by Wellington Muzenda of Muzenda and Chitsama Attorneys and the case was remanded to December 14, 2020 for judgment.
