Tinaani Nyabereka
ZVISHAVANE – Midlands Provincial Magistrate Miriam Banda has sentenced Zvishavane Town Secretary Tinoda Mukutu (53) to an effective two years in jail on charges of criminal abuse of office.
Mukutu was sentenced together with former Housing Director Nhlanhla Ngwenya (44) and Town Engineer, Dominic Mapwashike (44).
The trio were arrested by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) but latter got out on ZWL$30 000 bail each.
According to state papers the trio were convicted for flouting tender procedures and re-awarding a tender to JM Construction after the contractor failed to fulfil terms of the first contract. The second contract was also awarded without a council resolution
According to court papers, on 23 May 2016, the local authority entered into a partnership with Monitor Enterprises trading as JM Construction for the servicing of 27 extension stands in the Central Business District (CBD) valued at US$2 772 258.31.
The contract was terminated after the two-year agreed timeframe lapsed before JM Construction completed the task.
A notice of cancellation of the partnership was served to JM Construction by the Town Council’s lawyers Chigariro, Phiri and Partners Legal Practitioners on October 1, 2018.
However, on December 17, 2019, the trio went on and hand-picked JM Construction to continue with the contract without going to tender.
