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Munyaradzi Musiiwa, Midlands Correspondent
MIDLANDS provincial mining director Nelson Munyanduri was last week arrested together with his provincial surveyor on allegations of criminal abuse of office after he allegedly fraudulently awarded a mining certificate to a mining syndicate on a disputed piece of land whose matter is still pending before the High Court.
It is understood that a Kwekwe mining company, Damofalls Private Limited was embroiled in a mine ownership dispute with Mr Simbarashe Bangiza of Kwekwe at Glen Arroch Farm and the matter is before the Bulawayo High Court.
It is alleged that Munyanduri (54) connived with his subordinate Alfred Tavengana (50) to fraudulently register the mining claim under certificate number 31283 on behalf of AGKK Mining Syndicate before the matter could be concluded by the High Court.
Munyanduri and Tavengana were yesterday hauled before Gweru magistrate, Mr Progress Murandu facing a criminal abuse of office charge as a public officer. The two were remanded out of custody on their own cognisance to 21 October.
For the State, Ms Namatirai Chipere alleged that sometime in June last year, a mining dispute arose between Damofalls Private Limited concerning mining claims identified as Glen Arroch 80, 81, 82 and 83. The dispute was then brought to the attention of the two accused persons and later spilled into the courts.
Bongani Ndlovu