Manduna to serve community service

Danisa Masuku, Court Writer

FORMER Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) legislator, Obert Manduna, appeared in court on Thursday for re-sentencing for fraud charges and has been sentenced to perform 520 hours of community service at a local primary school.

Bulawayo Provincial magistrate, Mr Richard Ramaboea, sentenced him to four years and six months in jail.

He, however, suspended six months on condition of good behaviour while a further three years and six months were suspended on condition that he restitutes the complainant US$5 900.

The remaining six months were suspended on condition that Manduna performs 520 hours of community service at Khumalo Primary School in Bulawayo.
In sentencing him, the magistrate quashed the suggestion by the community service officer who had stated that Manduna was not suitable for community service on grounds that he was a high profile figure who commands authority in the society as such there was no person who would be able to supervise him.

“The court is not entirely bound by the community service officer’s finding although it is important to the court. The community service officer misdirected itself by saying the offender was a councilor while he was a Member of Parliament and was later recalled.

“In the initial sentence before his successful appeal at the Bulawayo High court he served a month in jail and the court will consider that,” said the magistrate.

Prosecuting, Denmark Chihombe told the court that while posing as an agent for the sale of Stand 7278 in Cowdray Park, Manduna fraudulently obtained US$5 900 from Sithulisiwe Sibanda between October 2020 and February 2022.

“He falsely claimed to hold power of attorney from the legitimate owner, Benard Mujuru, even though Mujuru had not authorised the sale and the property had already been repossessed by the Bulawayo City Council,” said Mr Chihombe.

Manduna, who once represented the Nketa and Emganwini constituencies, was arrested at his Ascot residence in Kenilworth Towers last year by Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption investigators.

In his mitigation through his lawyer Mr Tanaka Muganyi of Tanaka Law Chambers Manduna was described as a man of previously blameless character— a respected figure in the community who played a pivotal role in his anti-drug advocacy among the youths.

Mr Muganyi told court that Manduna helps the elderly and the youths through his charitable organisations he operates. The court said it had considered these factors before coming up with a sentence that allowed room for rehabilitation.