Upper Manyame Sub Catchment Council (UMSCC) chairman Stalin Mau Mau is in the soup for contravening the Public Finance Management Act.
UMSCC is a statutory water management body in Zimbabwe established by an Act of Parliament; Water Act of 1998 (Chapter 20:24) under the auspices of the Ministry of Lands.
It is alleged that when the former chief executive of the council Wensely Muchineri resigned last year, Mau elevated finance manager Simbarashe Runhare as the Acting CEO.
Mau then approved the payment of gratuity to Muchineri amounting to US$78 000, ZWL $150 000 000 and a golden handshake of an ISUZU DMAX without the approval of the ministries of Finance and Lands.
According to the provisions of the Public Entities Corporate Governance Act [Chapter 10:31], no Catchment Council or Subcatchment Council shall pay any amount by way of a gratuity or other terminal benefit to an executive member in respect of his or her service, unless the proposed amount has been notified to the line Minister.
Mau is also said to have violated the council's policy by giving Muchineri 40% of his annual salary instead of 20%.
Muchineri had only served the council for 11 years.
According to documents seen by NewsDay, the matter was reported to the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption (Zacc) under docket number RRB005182 in February this year leading to his arrest.
Mau appeared before Harare regional magistrate Taurai Manuwere last week and was charged with contravening the Public Finance Management Act.
He was released on US$100 bail and remanded to June 6.