Chiredzi Regional Magistrate Judith Zuyu sentenced Emily Paradzai, Chiredzi Town Housing and Community Services Director, to 24 months in jail for criminal abuse of office last Friday, reported <a href="https://masvingomirror.com/chiredzi-tc-housing-director-jailed-24-months/">The Mirror</a>.
However, 12 months of the sentence were suspended on the condition that Paradzai does not commit a similar offence in the next five years.
Four months were suspended for good behaviour, and the remaining eight months were commuted to 280 hours of community service at Cold Comfort School in Harare, where Paradzai now resides.
Paradzai was convicted of double allocating stand number 10547 Melbourne Park, Chiredzi, to Arnold Mpofu and Lazarus Dhuku, a former Chiredzi Town employee.
She denied the charge, arguing that Dhuku was supposed to receive a high-density residential stand as a gratuity after serving the council for 30 years.
She further claimed that Dhuku had since been given a high-density suburb at 6626 Makondo.
Prosecutor Ronald Kwangware proved that Mpofu bought the stand from Paradzai between April 26, 2019, and January 2024. The stand was previously allocated to Dhuku as gratuity.
The matter came to light when Dhuku went to the council to begin developing his stand and was informed that it had been allocated to Mpofu. He filed a police report, leading to Paradzai’s arrest.
Dhuku told the court that the stand at Makondo was a normal stand offered to him by the council in 2010. 
Magistrate Zuyu said that Paradzai should have informed Dhuku in writing that the stand was being repossessed before allocating it to Mpofu.

Pindula News

A woman named Emily Paradzai was sentenced to 24 months in jail for giving the same residential land to two different people in Chiredzi. She said the second person was supposed to get the land as a gift after working for the council for a long time. The first person bought the land from her, but it was already promised to the second person. The council found out and arrested her. She will do community service instead of jail time for some of the months. The judge said she should have told the second person before giving the land to someone else.

Chiredzi Council Official Sentenced To 24 Months For Double Allocation Of Residential Stand

Chiredzi Town Council (CTC) Housing and Community Services Director, Emily Paradzai (55), is facing a criminal abuse of office charge for the alleged double allocation of a residential stand.
As reported by <a href="https://masvingomirror.com/chiredzi-tc-housing-director-arrested/">The Mirror</a>, Paradzai, who resides at house number 17 Impala Road, Chiredzi, appeared before Regional Magistrate Judith Zuyu last week.
She was charged with Criminal abuse of duty as a public officer as defined under Section 174 (1) (a) of the Criminal Law Codification and Reform Act (Chapter 09:23).
Magistrate Zuyu remanded Paradzai out of custody to a later date for the continuation of the trial.
The case dates back to the period from April 26, 2023, to January 3, 2024, during which Paradzai allegedly sold or facilitated the sale of stand number 10547 Melbourne Park, Chiredzi, to Arnold Mpofu. The stand had previously been allocated to Lazarus Chanakira Duku.
The issue came to light when Duku visited the local authority’s offices to inquire before starting construction and was informed that the stand belonged to Mpofu.
Duku subsequently filed a police report, leading to Paradzai’s arrest.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

A lady named Emily Paradzai from Chiredzi Town Council has been arrested for giving a residential stand to two different people. She is in trouble for not doing her job properly. The case started from April 26, 2023, to January 3, 2024 when she gave the same stand to two different people. When one of them wanted to build on the stand, they found out it belonged to someone else. The person who was supposed to have the stand told the police, and now Emily is in trouble. She will have to go back to court later for more questioning.

Chiredzi Town Council Director Arrested For Double Allocation Of Residential Stand

Chiredzi Town Council had to resort to a coin toss to decide the chairman following a deadlock in elections as CCC and ZANU PF have five councillors each who all voted along party lines.
Eventually, CCC’s Roger Chikonye representing Ward 7 won the toss used throughout the Committee elections after several attempts ended in deadlock, <a href="https://newziana.co.zw/2023/09/26/coin-toss-decides-chiredzi-chair/">reported New Ziana</a>.
Ward 3 Councillor Jameson Charumbira of ZANU PF won the deputy Chairmanship of the Chiredzi Town Council from his rival Philimon Muchaendepi (CCC) after another coin toss.
Ushe Vimbai (ZANU PF) will chair the Finance Committee, while Liberty Macharaga (ZANU PF) will chair the Health and Housing Committee Chair.
The Technical Services Committee will be chaired by Gift Chigidi (CCC) while Sekai Njanjure (ZANU PF) will chair the Audit Committee.
In his acceptance speech, the new chairman said as councillors they should respect those who voted them into office. He said:
<blockquote>
As Councillors, we are bound by the Laws of the Government of Zimbabwe to respect the citizens who voted us into power, hence the need to practise political maturity and tolerance as we build the Chiredzi we want, following the Urban Councils Act under the Constitution of Zimbabwe.
My door as the Town Council Chairman will always be open for dialogue with residents, associations and stakeholders.
</blockquote>
Chikonye, who was first elected as a councillor in 2018, pledged to work with everyone.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

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