By Beatific Gumbwanda
Chiredzi Regional Magistrate Judith Zuyu recently removed former Chiredzi Town Council Chairperson and Zanu PF stalwart, Francis Moyo’s case from remand accusing the state of failing to build a case against him on charges of gross abuse of office as a public officer, TellZim News can report.
Moyo, who was Zanu PF Chiredzi Central 2023 Parliamentary candidate was arraigned before the courts by ZACC in early March over allegations of criminal abuse of office as a public officer under the Criminal Law Codification and Reform Act (Chapter 9:23) where he was remanded out of custody on a US$500 bail.
According to the State papers, on May 14, 2013, a developer, Inotrade Investments, represented by Trinity Mutsetse applied for commonage stands in Chiredzi Township from the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works.
It is further alleged that the accused person using his position as the town chairperson as well as chairperson of the Justin Chauke Housing Cooperative hatched a plan and corruptly benefitted from the 50 commonage stands reserved for the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works.
The court heard that on December 17, 2014, Inotrade Investments and Justin Chauke Housing Cooperative entered into a partnership agreement to develop and construct 50 housing stands.
Investigations revealed that Inotrade Investments later handed over the project to Justin Chauke Housing Cooperative with the accused person being the Chairperson of the housing cooperative and the Chairperson of Chiredzi Town Council during that period.
Following the launch of an investigation on Chiredzi Town Council by the Local Government Ministry, from March 2016 to April 2016 known as the ‘Nhamo Report’, it was established that no land intrinsic value was paid to the ministry for the 50 residential stands.
It is alleged that Moyo’s actions led to the Ministry of Local Government suffering a prejudice of US$60 000 being the land’s intrinsic value that was payable.
The case will proceed by way of summons and Moyo is being represented by Emmanuel Chibudu of the Manyika Law Chambers. The state is being represented by Ronald Kwangwari.
