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Court Reporter
HARARE Mayor Herbert Gomba yesterday notified the State that he will challenge his placement on remand when he returns to court on September 8, for routine remand.
Gomba, who is facing charges of corruptly converting State land into council land and changing its allocation, notified the court of his intentions when he appeared before Harare regional magistrate Mr Ngoni Nduna. He is on $10 000 bail.
Gomba is facing charges of allegedly conniving with accomplices last year, who are yet to be accounted for by police, in altering an approved layout plan belonging to Youths in Business Housing Trust. The land was allegedly converted the land into council land and allocated it to Taringana Housing Scheme.
The original plan had been issued and approved by the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works to the Youths in Business Housing Scheme. Gomba, the remand court was told, disregarded the advice of the town clerk who set aside the changes.
The State alleges that Gomba acted beyond his powers as a ceremonial mayor.
The Environmental Management Agency inspected the land and found 40 percent was a wetland, but Gomba ignored the recommendation.
Online Reporter