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Nyore Madzianike
Senior Court Reporter
The trial for City of Harare director of works Isaiah Zvenyika Chawatama on allegations of changing a layout plan and allocating 12 residential stands and a stand for a police station in Monavale starts on September 22 at Harare Magistrates Court.
Chawatama, who was being represented by Mr Admire Rubaya, is being charged with criminal abuse of office.
He is alleged to have changed the layout plan and allocated the residential stands without the approval of the Ministry of Local Government.
It is the State’s case that on February 16, 2017, Samuel Nyabezi, the city planner, created a layout plan with 12 residential stands and a police station on a portion of corner Eddison Zvobgo Road (Quendon Road) and Lyndhurst Roads in Monavale.
The land was originally set aside as a free way reservation.
It is alleged that Chawatama’s move was contrary to his duties since he omitted to seek the Local Government Minister’s consent for change of reservation.
On December 17, 2019, Chawatama allegedly connived with Nyabezi and misrepresented facts to City of Harare’s Finance department and Housing and Community Services through a memorandum, saying stands were approved and ready for use.
Acting on the alleged misrepresentation, the Department of Housing and Community services went on to dispose of the stands to beneficiaries who were made to pay $50 000 as provisional deposit.
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