adminVusumuzi Dube Municipal Reporter
THE Bulawayo City Council has reportedly engaged the Zimbabwe Republic Police to investigate a number of its officials who have been accused of engaging in corrupt activities, it has been learnt. The cases under investigations include one which was exposed by The Sunday News where grave diggers at West Park Cemetery in the city were selling graves to desperate bereaved families outside the stipulated council channels and below the set rates.
The grave diggers were said to be selling graves for as little as $20 and were marketing their business by promising desperate families to avoid the normal bureaucratic channels of accessing burial space through the council. Normal prices for graves at the city’s cemeteries range from $47 to $92.
According to a council confidential report, Frenck Ngwenya, a council employee had been arrested for alleged theft by conversion and the matter was before the courts.
“The Director of Health Services (Dr Zanele Hwalima) reported that Frenck Ngwenya was under investigation by the Zimbabwe Republic Police on allegations of theft by conversion for diverting council burial fees paid by the bereaved families to personal use. The case hearing was ongoing at the courts of law.
“It was a court requirement that a letter from Bulawayo City Council duly authorising Mrs Pretty Tshaba as its representative in the case be availed. Mrs Tshaba was an acting internal auditor presenting council’s case in the courts,” read the document.
Meanwhile, in another case, two council workers were also caught on the wrong side of the law after they allegedly demanded bribes from members of the public.
“The Financial Director (Mr Kimpton Ndimande) reported that Munyori Zhou and Mkhululi Ncube were under investigation by the Zimbabwe Republic Police on allegations of abuse of office for accepting bribes. The court had requested for a letter from council duly authorising Mr Mishek Mpofu as its representative in this case. Mr Mpofu is the acting finance manager (revenue),” reads the report.
Council officials have in the past couple of years been accused of accepting bribes from members of the public in exchange of favours such as allocation of stands and avoiding water supplies cut due to non-payment of tariffs.
Online Reporter