New Bulawayo Deputy Mayor A Convicted Thief, Owes $40 000 In Unpaid Rent And Legal Costs, Faces Imprisonment

The Chronicle reports newly elected Bulawayo Deputy Mayor Tinashe Kambarami is a convicted thief who was fined by Bulawayo magistrate Ms Sharon Rosemani for stealing an extension cord from an electrician he had hired to do manual work at his offices.

Kambarami (32) was told to pay $80 or face 18 days in prison and was given until the end of July to pay the fine but defaulted resulting in a warrant of arrest being issued against him. Kambarami then paid the fine on August 15. Kambarami was last month issued with summons for civil imprisonment over a debt of nearly $40 000 in unpaid rent and legal costs.

The legal costs are from a two-year legal battle between Kambarami and the National Railways of Zimbabwe Contribution Pension Fund (NRZCPF) over rental arrears. Kambarami was evicted from the NRZCPF building in Bulawayo after failing to pay $11 300,64 including holding over damages of $1 250 per month calculated from September 29, 2015 to date. He entered into a lease agreement with NRZCPF in September 2015 but failed to pay rent resulting in his eviction and a series of lawsuits. In December, Kambarami lost some properties after they were attached by the Sheriff of the High Court and auctioned for failing to pay the debt. He faces civil imprisonment of up to 90 days in jail if he fails to pay $38 752,01 in legal costs, accrued holding over damages and rentals including interest.