CHITUNGWIZA municipality’s suspended housing director Hazel Sithole has appeared before Harare regional magistrate Marehwanazvo Gofa over a criminal abuse of office charge after she allegedly allocated a commercial stand without following council procedures.
Sithole was granted US$300 bail and remanded to July 18 for trial.
Prosecutor Lancelot Mutsokoti alleged that on July 19 , 2018, Chitungwiza Municipality held its 449th ordinary meeting where an application was made by Chesane Jaidi for a piece of land located at Corner Tilco and Chitungwiza Road for construction of a service station.
The application was supposed to be considered by council after going through the required processes in accordance with local authority’s housing policy.
The then acting chamber secretary Mary Mukonyora extracted the resolutions and came up with the implementation of resolution schedule addressed to the departmental heads including Sithole instructing them to implement resolutions of the 449th ordinary council meeting.
In August 23 , 2018, the acting director of works proffered a memorandum to Sithole after they had done an assessment of stand number 20727 Zengeza 4 recommending that the stand be allocated in line with the housing policy.
Thereafter, Sithole allegedly made a false representation on an offer letter addressed to Jaidi that Chitungwiza Municipality at its meeting held on July 19 2018 resolved that Jaidi tbe allocated a service station knowing very well that council had resolved for the allocation to be done in compliance with the laid down housing procedures.
Sithole failed to adhere to Clause 13 of Chitungwiza Council housing policy which states that in allocating commercial stands the director must seek competitive bidding with a minimum offer determined by council.
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Based on the alleged misrepresentation by Sithole, Jaidi paid the initial payments including for land sales and signed the lease agreement.
The court heard that this was contrary to the council’s resolution which emphasized that Sithole was supposed to follow due process before allocation takes place.
Due to her alegend actions, the accused acted contrary and inconsistent with her duties with the intention of extending some favour to Jaidi.
