JUST IN: Chipinge town secretary up for abuse of office

He has been arrested and appeared before Harare regional magistrate Marewanazvo Gofa, who remanded him in custody.

Mutare Bureau
CHIPINGE town secretary Dr Susan Dube, was arrested this morning on criminal abuse of office charges after she allegedly offered a 1 000 square metre stand to a trainee.

Dube who is being represented by Mr Langton Mhungu of Mhungu and Associates appeared before Chipinge magistrate, Mr Poterai Gwezhira this afternoon and succesfully applied for bail which was set at $20 000.

She was ordered not to visit the Chipinge town offices until the investigations were finalized and report twice a week at Chipinge CID offices and continue residing at given address.

Prosecuting, Mr Timothy Katsande, said Dube employed Janson Mhlanga on October 31, 2018 as a graduate trainee.
On January 8, 2020, Mhlanga allegedly applied for a stand and was allocated Stand Number 4767, St Kelvin, Chipinge, measuring 1 000 square metres.

Although the local authority has a staff quota benefit scheme which is enjoyed by permanent employees, Mhlanga did not qualify as he is viewed as contract worker.

Under the staff quota housing scheme, staff members buy the stands at 40 percent of the market value.