Nkayi RDC treasurer nabbed

Nkayi Rural District Council

NKAYI Rural District Council (RDC) treasurer Lawrence Mudimba and council technician Selamiso Mabhena have been arrested on allegations of corruptly selling stands and receiving bribes.

Mudimba, who once acted as Nkayi chief executive officer, and his co-accused were arrested on Sunday morning.

Their arrest came at a time when the Nkayi community had been complaining over unproper selling of stands in a development that implicated them.

The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) had been investigating cases of corruption involving stands after whistleblowers alerted the commission.

"Investigations by Zacc officers led to the arrest of the pair," a source told Southern Eye.

Nkayi CEO Silibele Mpofu said he was in Bulawayo and referred Southern Eye to council chairperson Jameson Mnethwa for comment.

Mnethwa yesterday confirmed that the two were arrested on Sunday, adding that they appeared in court on Monday and were released on $50 000 bail each.

"We had Zacc officials visiting council for investigations. Yes the two were arrested and I am informed they were released on bail yesterday (Monday) after they appeared in court. I am yet to get more information on that," Mnethwa said.

Both were remanded to November 7.

Matabeleland North police spokesperson Inspector Glory Banda said he was out of office and could not confirm the arrests.

Zacc chairperson Loyce Matanda Moyo yesterday said she was in a meeting.

In January 2021, Nkayi Rural Development Initiative (NRDI) noted that residential stands were on sale at Nkayi Centre.

The organisation claimed the issue left council divided with councillors and council workers accusing Mudimba, who was then acting CEO, and other council officials of selling residential stands without following procedure.

Mudimba fell out with most of the Nkayi RDC councillors following the retrenchment of former CEO Zimbabwe Ndlovu whom he (Mudimba) and others accused of maladministration and abuse of office.

Some councillors were against the move, which saw Ndlovu being retrenched on January 8, 2021.

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