Chitungwiza housing admin in court

Nyore Madzianike

Senior Court Reporter

CHITUNGWIZA Municipality’s housing administrator, Alex Mukwewa, allegedly allocated a commercial stand to the dormitory town’s acting Town Clerk, Evangelista Machona’s daughter without a council resolution or proof that she can fully utilise the piece of land.

Mukwewa allegedly allocated a commercial stand in Zengeza 2 to Wadzanai Jenje, daughter to Machona without following the municipality’s housing policy.

He is also facing other charges involving illegal parcelling of land which he allegedly committed during the time he was acting housing director for Chitungwiza municipality.

The 46-year-old, who was being represented by lawyer, Mr Albert Nyikadzino, yesterday appeared before regional magistrate Mr Stanford Mambanje charged with criminal abuse of office as a public officer.

Mr Mambanje did not ask him to plead to the charges before releasing him on $50 000 bail and ordered him to report once a week at Norton police station and return to court on April 30.

Mr Ephraim Zinyandu and Mrs Nancy Chandakaona, appearing for the State, had opposed bail to Mukwewa saying he was likely to interfere with investigations and interfere with witnesses.

The State opposed granting of his bail arguing that they was overwhelming evidence against Mukwewa which can afford a conviction.

Through his lawyer Mr Nyikadzino, Mukwewa told the court that he was already facing other similar charges at Chitungwiza magistrates court where he was freed on bail.

He claimed the police were arresting him on “piece meal” allegations which were stemming from malice among people surrounding him.

It is said sometime in December 2020 detectives from the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Unit received information to the effect that there were non-procedural allocation of land in Chitungwiza.

Following investigations, it was discovered that on December 6, 2019 Mukwewa, who was the acting housing director, had allocated a commercial stand in Zengeza 2 to Jenje.

Allegations are that Jenje had not applied for the said stand and there was no project proposal or proof of capital to develop the stand.

It is said that there was no resolution from the finance committee to allocate Jenje the said commercial stand.

According to the State, Mukwewa’s actions were not consistent with his duties as a public officer.