Council bigwigs in the dock

Prosper Dembedza Court Correspondent
Three Harare City Council bosses and a councillor yesterday appeared in court for siphoning $200 000 from Harare Municipality Medical Aid Society (HMMAS) by awarding themselves hefty sitting allowances.

The amounts ranged from $5 000 to $20 000, which was contrary to council regulations.

Shasekant Jogi, who is the city’s medical aid society chairman, Ward 43 councillor Panganai Charumbira and also a board member of HMMAS, and Prosper Chonzi who is the city’s Health Services director and board member were charged with criminal abuse of duty as public officers.

The three will be back in court tomorrow for bail application.

Allegations are that during the period extending from January 2015 to December 4, the three in connivance with other board members who are still at large mooted an idea to siphon money from the society by paying themselves amounts ranging from $5 000 to $20 000 in sitting allowances against council regulations.

The court heard that Jogi, as the chairperson, was allegedly paid a total of $20 000, Charumbira $10 000 and Chonzi was paid $5 000.

It is alleged that the other 15 board members were paid a cumulative figure of $175 000.

The allowances which the three awarded themselves were not due to them and were in violation of council regulations.

The court heard that the trio’s actions were inconsistent with their duties and as a result of their actions, the city suffered an actual prejudice of $200 000 and nothing was recovered.