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>

Pindula News

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

Four Harare City Council officials were this week arraigned before the Harare Magistrates Court facing charges of Criminal Abuse of Duty as Public Officers.
The four accused persons are Never Murerwa (62), Jabulani Mukomazi (44), Denford Zhungu (69) and Tawanda Mutenhabundo (29) who are Manager Supply Chain, Principal Buyer, Principal Accountant and Engineering Technician in the City of Harare respectively.
It is the State’s case that on 15 March 2024, the City of Harare flighted an invitation to tender for the rehabilitation of street lighting across the city. Said the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA):
<blockquote>
Eleven companies including Juluka Ennd Joint Venture (Pvt) Ltd responded to the invitation. Juluka Ennd Joint Venture was disqualified after failing to meet the tender requirements.
However, the accused persons unprocedurally awarded the tender of two of the ten lots to Juluka Ennd Joint Venture, disregarding an earlier decision to disqualify Juluka Ennd Joint Venture for failing to meet the bid requirements.
Investigations revealed that the accused persons awarded the tender to the company owned by individuals who also own a company which had failed to deliver in a previous tender awarded for a biogas digester in 2019.
This was contrary to the standard bidding regulations which provide that bidders who have a history of failure to execute are not eligible.
Acting upon the accused persons’ recommendations, the City of Harare entered into a contract with Juluka Ennd Joint Venture and thereafter commenced preparation for an advance payment. The tender was valued at US$9 244 328.
</blockquote>
Reports indicate that Juluka Ennd Joint Venture is owned by Moses Mpofu who is currently in remand prison alongside his co-accused, Mike Chimombe.
Mpofu and Chimombe are facing fraud charges related to the alleged siphoning of over $7 million from the Presidential Goat Scheme.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Four Harare City Council officials were arrested for not doing their jobs properly. They are accused of giving a big contract to a company that didn't follow the rules. This company, Juluka Ennd Joint Venture, is linked to people who have been involved in other fraud cases. The contract was worth a lot of money, $9 million. The officials now have to go to court to answer for what they did. They could be in big trouble for not being fair and following the right procedures.

Four Harare City Council Officials Arrested For Criminal Abuse Of Duty

The National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe (NPA) has confirmed the arrest of Tsholotsho Rural District Council (RDC) chief executive officer Nkululeko Sibanda (55) and finance executive Brighton Malandule (51), who is a former ZIFA board member, on corruption allegations.
In a statement, NPA said the two accused persons appeared at Hwange Magistrates’ Court facing 5 counts of criminal abuse of office and were each granted ZWL$1.2 million. Read the statement:
<blockquote>
COUNTS OF CORRUPTION FOR TSHOLOTSHO
Tsholotsho Rural District Council (RDC) chief executive officer Nkululeko Sibanda (55) and finance executive Brighton Malandule (51) appeared at Hwange Magistrates’ Court facing 5 counts of criminal abuse of office.
It is the State’s case that on 19 October 2019, Tsholotsho RDC through accused one entered into a contract with Makhadu Marketing for installation of a borehole worth ZWL164 260 without following due processes.
Accused one authorized the processing of the full payment of the cost of the borehole before the contractor had fulfilled the terms of contract.
Accused two effected payments without carrying out due diligence.
In June 2021 accused one, without following procurement procedures sought quotations from 2 suppliers for fitting up a new solar pump at Mgomeni Primary School.
He went on to authorize processing of payment of USD1930 to Arnorene Enterprises Private Limited and accused two effected transfers of funds without carrying out due diligence.
In November 2021 and May 2022, Tsholotsho RDC engaged Arnorene Enterprises to do borehole maintenance at 3 sites in the council’s Ward 7 and went on to process payments amounting to ZWL164 000 and ZWL55 000 respectively, to Arnorene Enterprises, without following due processes.
On 10 April 2023, Tsholotsho RDC contracted Papcastle Services Private Limited to do motor vehicle repairs worth USD7 699 without obtaining authority to engage in a direct procurement from the Procurement Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe.
The accused persons processed payment amounting to USD7 000 between 13 May 2023 and 11 July 2023 without carrying out due diligence.
The two were arrested by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) following a tip-off from a whistleblower.
Accused persons were granted ZWL1 200 000 bail each. The matter was remanded to 5 February 2024 pending finalization of investigations by ZACC.
</blockquote>
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Former ZIFA Boss' Arrest... Fresh Details Emerge

The Zimbabwe Anti-corruption Commission (ZACC) has arrested Chitungwiza Municipality Housing and Community Service Director, Hazel Sithole for corruption after she allegedly leased commercial stands to 30 beneficiaries on an area reserved as an open space in 2019.
Sithole has since appeared in court charged with Criminal Abuse of Duty as a Public Officer.
She was granted ZWL$100 000 and will be back in court on 31 July 2023. ZACC said in a statement:
<blockquote>
ZACC has arrested Chitungwiza Municipality Housing and Community Service Director, Hazel Sithole for Criminal Abuse of Duty as a Public Officer.
In 2019, the accused used her authority to lease commercial stands to 30 beneficiaries in an area reserved as open space.
The accused person’s actions were in conflict with Chitungwiza Municipality Housing Policy which provides that commercial stands are offered with council resolution and through competitive bidding. Her actions were intended to show favour to the beneficiaries.
Hazel Sithole appeared in court and was given ZWL 100 000.00 bail. She will be back in court on 31 July 2023.
</blockquote>
Criminal Abuse of Duty as a Public Officer is a criminal offence that is defined under the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act.
It occurs when a public officer, such as a government official or civil servant, abuses their position of authority for personal gain or to cause harm to another person.
The offence is committed when a public officer wilfully neglects to perform their duty without reasonable excuse, unlawfully confers a benefit on themselves or another person or unlawfully causes harm or loss to another person.
The offence carries a penalty of up to 15 years imprisonment, a fine, or both.
More: <a href="https://zero.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Chitungwiza Housing Director Arrested Over Corrupt Stands Deals

A chemistry teacher at George Silundika High School, Joseph Moyo (36), recently appeared before Tsholotsho magistrate Regius Mawarire for leaking a Mathematics examinations paper.
Moyo was released on free bail and remanded to 15 December. He was ordered to continue residing at his given address in Cowdray Park, report at ZRP Cowdray Park once a fortnight, and stop visiting the school until the finalisation of investigations by the police.
Prosecutor, Valentine Makoni, told the court that Moyo was allegedly sent the Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (ZIMSEC) Ordinary Level Mathematics Paper 2 by one Farai Sibanda, who is still at large, via Bluetooth. Said Makoni:
<blockquote>
On 19 October, a day before the Mathematics paper 2 examination was written, Moyo conducted extra lessons for his Form Four learners at his laboratory during which he started revising the leaked paper.
</blockquote>
Moyo was represented by Thabekhulu Dube of Ncube and Partners. | <a href="https://www.chronicle.co.zw/deputy-head-teachers-jailed-for-exam-paper-leak/">Chronicle</a>

Chemistry Teacher In Court Over Leaked Mathematics Exam Paper

The deputy headmaster and an English teacher at Sipepa High School in Tsholotsho district, Matabeleland North Province, have admitted to leaking a public examinations paper to candidates at the school.
Brian Mazendami (41) of 20596 Pumula South, Bulawayo, who is the deputy headmaster and the teacher, Makosini Mondela (50) of Sipepa Line in Tsholotsho, were each sentenced to three years in prison.
They were accused of leaking a Zimbabwe Schools Examination Council (ZIMSEC) Ordinary Level English Paper 1.
The two were convicted on their own pleas of guilty to criminal abuse of duty as a public officer and contravening Section 35(a) and (b) of the ZIMSEC Act by Tsholotsho resident magistrate Victor Mpofu.
However, the two educators will not go to jail after the magistrate conditionally suspended 18 months of the sentence on the condition that they do not commit a similar offence within that period.
The remaining 18 months were also suspended on the condition that Mazendami and Mondela each perform 630 hours of community service starting this Monday, 21 November 2022.
Mondela will perform community service at Jakalasi Primary School in Tsholotsho while Mazendami will be at Godlwayo Primary School in Pumula.
Allegations were that on 14 October 2022, at around 4 PM, Mazendami and Mondela connived and opened the strong room, where the examination papers were kept.
The duo took out a sealed envelope containing English Language paper 1 (4005/01) November 2022 examination and copied two questions from the sealed envelope and then returned it to the strong room. Prosecutor Sharon Phiri said:
Mazendami then taught his selected students how to write compositions based on those topics. He then corrected them after submitting their compositions.
She further alleged that a whistle-blower sent an anonymous letter to ZIMSEC exposing the corruption and a taskforce team was set up to conduct investigations at Sipepa High School leading to the arrest of the two teachers. | <a href="https://www.chronicle.co.zw/deputy-head-teachers-jailed-for-exam-paper-leak/">Chronicle</a>

Deputy School Head, Teacher Sentenced To 3 Years In Jail Each For Exam Paper Leak

The Victoria Falls Town Clerk Ronnie Dube has been suspended again following his arrest last week on charges of criminal abuse of duty as a public officer.
Dube was suspended by the Local Government and Public Works Minister July Moyo, who said this will help stabilise operations of the city and avoid scaring away tourists or investors.
Minister Moyo said Dube’s suspension will remain until the finalisation of criminal allegations against him. Dube was released on $50 000 bail early this week.
After his arrest, Dube had continued executing his duties following a resolution by councillors to reverse the suspension by the Mayor Councillor Somveli Dlamini a fortnight ago.
Cllr Dlamini suspended Dube twice since last year, but fellow councillors on both occasions reversed the decision and reinstated the Town Clerk.
Minister Moyo visited the city on Thursday and implored councillors and management to work together for the benefit of the city. He said:
<blockquote>We want to bring sanity so that the city continues to work on a trajectory that will enhance the attraction of tourists.
Given that the President came here to receive the Freedom of City and that he upgraded it from a municipality to a city and came here to demonstrate that this is the city where we want tourists to come by being vaccinated here, the city has now attained herd immunity.
Anything that the council will do that can jeopardise this thrust that Government has, I needed to nip it in the bud.
So, once you have a Town Clerk in a city like this being investigated by the law courts then we have to stabilise the management and we have stabilised by saying there should be an acting Town Clerk while he (Town Clerk) is dealing with his issues.</blockquote>
The Chamber Secretary Kholwani Mangena will be acting Town Clerk.
<h4>More: <a href="https://www.chronicle.co.zw/vic-falls-town-clerk-suspended-again/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Chronicle</a></h4>

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