Criminal past costs finance director

Walter Nyamukondiwa Chinhoyi Bureau
A CHINHOYI Municipality finance director who was recently revealed to be an ex-convict during an adjudication exercise of a $1,6 million loan by a local bank, has been stripped of all finance-related duties.

Mr Tonderai Mukosa has now been assigned to the town clerk’s office and is expected to perform duties as assigned.

This has not gone down well with councillors who feel he should be suspended or put on forced leave to pave way for investigations.

Mr Mukosa was previously convicted of fraud and served a 24-month custodial sentence with labour.

However, management says it cannot institute disciplinary measures based on third party evidence.

CABS Bank discovered the conviction and sentence during routine background checks on signatories seconded by council for a $1,6 million loan.

The discovery threatened the loan deal before council was tasked to clear the matter.

Town clerk Mr Mungororo Mazai recently told a special council meeting that he could not act on evidence brought forward by the bank which it was reluctant to release.

However, according to council minutes, Mr Mukosa admitted to being sentenced in his report to the town clerk Mr Mazai. But his police clearance has no trace of a previous conviction.

The town clerk advised the meeting that he (Mr Mukosa) admitted in his report that he was once sentenced and brought a police clearance with no trace of previous conviction, reads part of the minutes.

In a bid to get the evidence for itself, council sought assistance from the Financial Clearing Bureau who advised them that they only assisted members.

This prompted the municipality to join the clearing bureau, but they have not managed to get the information they need.

During the meeting, Clr Simba Kanzou advised council to conduct a manual search at the police station which handled the matter and prison where he served.

Reads the minutes: “The town clerk advised the meeting that CABS does not want council to continue with litigation against the director of finance using their evidence, and added that this is the reason why council subscribed to the Financial Clearing Bureau so that evidence is obtained from an independent body.”

However, Clr Voster Mashevedzanwa argued that stripping the finance director of his financial duties was the same as using the CABS evidence.

Mr Mazai said the municipality did not have the CABS evidence on paper. He also said the bank did not want to be a witness in the matter.

The $1,6 million loan deal is widely expected to ameliorate the municipality’s financial woes as it battles to fund capital projects and staff salaries.

Salaries are in arrears with workers at some stage threatening to down tools.

Councillors now accuse management led by Mr Mazai of failing to exercise due diligence in recruiting the finance manager.