Nyabvure trial date set

Prosper Dembedza Herald Correspondent

A Harare magistrate has set April 12 as the trial date for former City of Harare chief building inspector Roy Nyabvure on criminal abuse of duty charges.

Investigations established that Nyabvure (64) unprocedurally signed a building plan for George Katsimberis, which was used to build a showroom that was later demolished by the City of Harare.

In opposing bail, the State led by Mr Lancelotte Mutsokoti last month called its witness the investigating officer Detective Evans Bota who told the court that Nyabvure was not a proper candidate for bail as he was a flight risk.

The detective also submitted that Nyabvure supplied them with two fake addresses. Bota told the court that Nyabvure was not a suitable candidate for bail as he was of no fixed aboard.

He further submitted to the court that he had already initiated a process to involve media publications of the accused as a wanted person.

However, Nyabvure’s lawyer told the court that his client was a man of fixed abode and that the reason he was not surrendering to the police was because he was a witness in another similar matter.

Allegations are that on February 23, 2017 and in the course and scope of his duties as chief building inspector, Nyabvure unprocedurally approved a building plan for stand number Number 19559 Harare Township otherwise known as 19559 corner Teviotdale and Whitwell Road, which had been submitted directly to him at Cleveland House by George Katsimbires, who was a constructing partner at one of Pokugara Properties (Pvt) Ltd sites.

It is alleged Katsimbiris went on to present the approved plan to Pokugara Properties, misrepresenting that it had been duly approved.

Acting on this misrepresentation, Pokugara Properties went on to sanction the building of a house on the said stand.

It is alleged after the completion of the building, Pokugara Properties was served with a notice of demolition from City of Harare citing that the building had to be demolished because it was erected without an approved plan and had been built with material not approved by City of Harare. The building was demolished thereafter.