Harare principal estate officer Monica Mutero was yesterday brought to court for criminal abuse of office.
Mutero appeared before magistrate Stanford Mambanje and was granted $100 000 bail.
According to the court papers, Mutero's duties included effecting lease management, valuation, estate management and disposal of council land in compliance with City of Harare standard operations procedures, Valuers Act and the urban Councils Act.
It is alleged that sometime in 2013, the council allocated on lease commercial stand number 5420 Budiriro Ownership, Harare which had been reserved for a primary school to a company named Southern Cross whose directors were Effort and Necca Zaranyika.
In 2016, the lease agreement was terminated after the company failed to pay monthly rentals over a prolonged period of time.
On June 1, 2016, the accused unilaterally and without a council resolution offered Southern Cross the same stand for US$1 606 550.
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Mutero allegedly directed one Mashonganyika of Revenues Division to open a sundry account on June 28, 2016 to facilitate the payment of intrinsic value on purchase price without a council resolution.
The State said his actions were intended to show undue favour to Southern Cross (Pvt) Ltd.