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Nyore Madzianike and Ray Bande
FORMER Mutare Mayor Tatenda Nhamarare reportedly abused his authority, flouted procedures and acquired a residential stand in one of the city’s affluent suburbs during his tenure of office.
According to the Mutare City Council Forensic Audit Investigative Report, Nhamarare bought a fully serviced 1 350 square-metre stand in the low density suburb of Palmerstone for $3 375 from council, instead of paying $24 300 for the same.
As if it was not enough, the former Mutare mayor is also said to have only paid $1 500 for the stand, prejudicing council of $6 345 in the process.
“The mayor abused his authority by overriding the required procedures when he acquired an infill residential stand number 11944 measuring 1 350 square metres in Palmerstone low density area, Mutare Township,” reads part of the forensic audit report.
Nhamarare is also said to have acquired the piece of land as an unserviced property while it was situated in a serviced area.
“The mayor overrode the system when he paid only $1 500 and went on to sign the sale agreement in violation of the sale condition stated in the provisional offer letter dated 08 September 2015, which states that the sale agreement should be signed after payment of the full purchase price,” reads the part of the report.
The forensic audit reports also said the agreement of sale was not authentic as it was not date-stamped, with Nhamarare having signed the document as the purchaser and second witness at the same time.
It also said statutory procedures were not followed as council resolution, ministerial approval and copy of advert were not in existence when Nhamarare was sold the stand.
“The mayor abused his office when he teamed up with council management to look for alternative land for residential stand, went on to sign the sale agreement without paying the full purchase price and acquired the stand without observing the standing regulations,” said the report.
Former Mutare Town Clerk Obert Muzawazi was also rapped for failing to uphold sound corporate governance principles.
“The culture set by the mayor and the former town clerk distorted the need for upholding sound corporate governance principles as the control environment was weakened due to management override,” said the report.
The auditors recommended that Nhamarare pays up the outstanding $6 345 towards his stand.
Online Reporter