Ministry of Local Government and Public Works Chief Director of Local Authorities Khonzani Ncube and five other officials have appeared before the Harare Magistrates Court on allegations of claiming duplicate travelling and subsistence allowances, prejudicing the State of ZWG360 644 and local authorities of US$19 419.
Ncube (52) appeared together with Administrator Pamela Chitengu, Annah Takaendesa, Accountant Sebele Likel, Mashonaland East Provincial Director Maxwell Mabhuro and Principal Administrator Ruvimbo Chahuruva before Magistrate Learnmore Mapiye at Rotten Row today, 7 November 2026.
The six were arrested yesterday (6 November 2026) by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) on allegations of Fraud. Ncube faces an additional charge of Criminal Abuse of Duty.
The accused persons were remanded to 24 November 2026 on US$500 bail for Ncube and $100 for the other five.
It is alleged that in April 2025, the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works launched a nationwide Local Authorities Systems Audit covering all 92 local authorities.
According to the circular, Local Authorities were to cover the travel and subsistence expenses of deployed officials while the Ministry was to provide transport.
Investigations established that Ncube allegedly authorised a request for the Ministry to pay travel and subsistence allowances to 54 officials, including herself.
The other five accused persons, who constituted the Mashonaland East audit team covering 10 local authorities, allegedly acted in common purpose to claim payments from both the Ministry and Local Authorities for the same assignment.
On 11 May 2025, they submitted travel and subsistence claims to the Ministry for the period 11 to 31 May 2025, while also claiming and receiving allowances, fuel and toll fees from the local authorities.
The audit team allegedly spent 40 actual days in Mashonaland East between 12 May and 19 June 2025, but claimed allowanced for 45 days, creating five days.
The officials allegedly concealed from the Ministry that they had already been paid by the local authorities.
