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Three Beitbridge town council heads of departments who were this week arrested on allegations of unlawfully awarding themselves $18,000 in annual performance bonuses have been suspended.
Town treasurer Rejoice Somakiwa, town engineer Maxwell Karenyi and director of administration Mbongeleni Muleya were on Thursday served with suspension letters by Beitbridge district administrator Simon Muleya. Muleya is the acting town secretary.
According to sources within the local authority, the trio was suspended for one month with full benefits following a council resolution.
Muleya confirmed the three officials’ suspension but said he could not give details as the case was before the courts. “We don’t want to be seen to be interfering with the court process,” he said.
The three council bosses on Wednesday appeared in court charged with abuse of public office and were remanded to May 14 by resident magistrate Gloria Takundwa.
It is understood that on March 7, the trio acting in connivance, awarded themselves performance bonuses of $6,000 each without a council resolution or approval. On the same day they paid themselves $1,000 each.
The issue came to light during an internal audit carried out sometime in March. The council chairperson Cde Showa Moyo is said to have confronted Muleya who was acting town secretary then over the issue. Muleya then paid back the $1,000 he had been paid.
The trio is arguing that the local authority owes them $25,000 each in outstanding payments for the past three years as per their contractual agreements.
Beitbridge Residents Association chairman Lawrence Tshili said the suspension of the trio had crippled council operations.
“We are engaging authorities at the council because residents are suffering following this development. We need to resolve the matter urgently,” he said.
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