adminGweru provincial magistrate Mr Sithembinkosi Msipa was told this yesterday when his colleague Tapera Vhudzijena (45) of 2210 in Chivhu appeared before him to answer charges of abuse of office.
Vhudzijena allegedly ordered a clerk of court, Mr Piniel Muvhunzwi, to auction property that included electrical gadgets and household property to court officials before he also bought several properties for himself for only $200.
According to court papers, some of the property which Vhudzijena allegedly bought at the “court officials only” auction were two juta invertors, Eco radio, two-plate oven stoves, a television set, two solar panels, two Sony DVDs, two power generators, a deep freezer, a bed comforter and two blankets all for $200.
Mavhudzi, who is on $50 bail pleaded not guilty to the charge of abuse of office and was remanded to 28 September for judgment.
For the State, Mr Takunda Chikwati told the court that between December 2011 and May 2012, police arrested several people who had smuggled property from South Africa into the country.
He said the police confiscated different items during the exercise.
The property, which included electrical gadgets, clothes and other household goods, was taken to court as exhibits and kept at the Mwenezi magistrate’s court.
Mr Chikwati said Vhudzijena then instructed Mr Muvhunzwi to conduct an auction of the exhibits to court officials only without following proper public auction procedures for forfeited property.
Other court officials who allegedly bought property at the auction include the prosecutor, Mr Brain Mutati, who bought a five-piece kitchen table, two men’s suits and two ladies suits for only $20.
Another court official, Mrs Vimbai Ngazimbi allegedly bought three ladies suits, a DVD player, solar panel converter, and children’s clothes for $30.
The matter was later picked up by the police who then instituted investigations leading to Vhudzijena’s arrest.
In his defence, Vhudzijena said he decided to sell the property to court officials as a way of motivating them to work hard.
“After we sold the property, morale was high and everyone was working hard to show that they had been motivated,” he said.
Online Reporter