FORMER Dzivarasekwa Nehanda Housing Co-operative chairperson Andrew Marauka allegedly disrupted an audit meeting organised by the Local Government ministry to take stock of the land sold by the co-operative.
The meeting was scheduled for August 28, 2022 and a police clearance was sought by the current co-operative leadership chaired by Simba Moyo.
However, Marauka allegedly sneaked into the police station with a letter postponing the meeting without the knowledge of the current leadership.
The Moyo-led co-operative had reported Marauka to the Local Government ministry for selling all open spaces in the community, including land reserved for schools a police station and other government institutions.
This led the ministry to instruct the co-operative leadership to organise an audit.
Moyo told NewsDay that the former Nehanda leadership sold all land that was set to benefit the community and a report to the police had since been lodged.
“The ministry instructed us to organise a meeting for the audit to ascertain the quantity of land unprocedurally sold and that which was sold legally. We then obtained a clearance from the police and on the day of the meeting we were surprised when the police told us that the meeting was postponed. This is against the ministry as this attracts a penalty. This is an effort to disrupt the audit since they know they sold some of the land unlawfully,” Moyo said.
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A letter dated August 25, 2022 from the police authorised the meeting.
“Police advising you that your notification has been noted and you may go ahead subject to the strict observation of the following conditions: You are supposed to hold your meeting at the venue, date and time stated in your letter and that you are instructed not to turn the meeting into a political meeting,” the letter from the police read.
The Women Affairs, Small and Medium Development ministry, in a letter dated August 12, 2022 to the co-operative signed by the Registrar of Co-operatives had already invited the co-operative association for preparation of the meeting.
According to the ministry the issues that were to be dealt with were verification of a membership list, status of alleged defaulters, financial statements, sales of land, all property of the co-operative. The ministry made it clear that any member who hinders the audit shall be guilty of violating the law.
“According to the Co-operative Act [Chapter 24:05] section (123)(c) anyone who further hinders this process shall be guilty of an offence as provided in the Act," the ministry wrote.
Marauka’s mobile phone was not reachable for a comment.
