MUTASA Rural District Council chief executive officer George Bandure is now a free man after being acquitted of criminal abuse of office charges.
Bandure was being accused of demanding a residential stand from a developer to fast track his paperwork.
However, Mutare regional magistrate Phathekile Msipa on Thursday last week absolved Bandure of any wrongdoing.
Bandure was being represented by Victor Chinzamba of Mugadza and Partners Legal Practitioners.
Bandure problems started when he refused Charele Private Limited Investments to have beneficiaries of residential stands under the Fair View Housing Project granted residence.
The court heard that the developer incriminated Bandure because he had refused to grant certificates of occupancy to beneficiaries before the provision of basic civic amenities.
In her judgment, Msipa said Charele took long to report the allegations, adding that there was also lack of evidence that Bandure demanded the stand in question as a favour.
Msipa also took into consideration that Bandure was cleared of any wrongdoing by a board of inquiry set up by the Local Government and Public Works ministry.
- Mutasa RDC chief executive acquitted
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In her ruling, she said the untold pressure and threats that public servants go through in trying to follow the law in the day-to-day discharge of their duties was now a major concern.
The courts blocked attempts by Charele Investments to smuggle dubious witnesses to testify in the matter.
It was noted in the ruling that Bandure’s charges were trumped up.
