The Municipality of Bindura has reinstated Ms. Molline Tandi and Mr. Marshal T. Chireru, inspectors in Bindura Municipality police who were dismissed over alleged theft of parking fees and demanding bribes from clamped motorists in Bindura CBD.
Tandi and Chireru were dismissed in April for alleged corruption and abuse of office, where they would collect money for parking in Bindura CBD without issuing receipts. In addition, they would demand bribes from motorists whose cars had been clamped in exchange for their release.
In letters seen by Pindula News, the local government authority informed the duo that the Disciplinary Committee found them guilty of breaching the Bindura Municipality Employment Code of Conduct but decided to give them a final warning and transfer them to other departments.
The decision to institute the disciplinary committee was made after Tandi and Chireru had appealed against their dismissal. The letters stated that their penalty of dismissal was considered too harsh and was subsequently substituted with a final warning and lateral transfer to other departments. They were also told that they would forfeit their salaries and benefits from April 18, 2023, to June 30, 2023. However, they would be reinstated to the Council’s employ with effect from July 1, 2023. The letter addressed to Tandi reads in part:
The determination of the Disciplinary Committee to find you guilty of breaching Section 8.2.3(c) of the Blndura Municipality Employment Code of Conduct of 2004 Is hereby upheld. However, on clemency grounds the penalty of dismissal from employ is reconsidered as rather too harsh and as such Is hereby substituted by the following:
ii) You are to be given a final warning for the acts of misconduct for which you were found guilty.
ii) You are hereby laterally transferred from the position of Municipal Police Detail (Grade 13) to the position of Fireperson (Grade 13) in the Chamber Secretary’s Department. Your other conditions of service will not change.
iii) You shall forfeit salary and benefits for the period 18 April 2023 to 30 June 2023.
Accordingly, take notice that your reinstatement to Council employ is with effect from 1st of July 2023.
Mr. Chireru was reinstated as a General Hand in the Roads Section of the Department of Works. Although Mr. Chireru’s salary and benefits from April 18, 2023, to June 30, 2023, will be forfeited, his grade and conditions of service will remain unchanged.
However, the town clerk is reportedly hesitant to reinstate them, and the letters of reinstatement have been put on hold after the workers’ committee approached the Human Resources Manager.