Story by Peter Chivhima
THE anti-corruption net continues to close in on some corrupt public officers, with Hurungwe Rural District Council Chief Executive Officer, Luke Kalavina and four other council officials having been convicted of fraud involving US$47 000.
The other convicted individuals are Hurungwe RDC Engineer, Romeo Tapiwa Mupamaonde, his assistant, Alfred Makama and Malvern Matiza who is the director of Marloshac Investment Private Limited and another official from the local authority.
The five reportedly siphoned public funds by making fake construction claims and diverting materials meant for public health facilities.
Investigations revealed that the convicts fraudulently claimed that Marloshac Investments, a private company, had constructed the Kaspikiri Causeway Bridge in Hurungwe and paid over US$18 000 while the real builder, Kainos Mupiwa was never paid.
They were also convicted of fraud involving Chehoko Bridge near Chivakanenyama, in which they claimed another US$18 000, despite the infrastructure having been constructed by community members.
According to court papers, the convicts claimed that the contract for Chehoko Bridge had been awarded to a company called Anstand Investments, with council engineers Romeo Mupamaonde and Alfred Makama facilitating the illegal payment.
The court also found the five guilty of re-directing building and plumbing materials worth US$4 000 initially meant for urgent repairs at Chiedza Clinic to personal projects.
A further US$6 000 was lost in a false claim involving ablution facilities at the same clinic.
The convicted individuals also went on to procure building materials worth US$8 000 from Bels Trading, a company owned by one of them and nothing was delivered.
In total, the public lost over US$47 000, which was never recovered.
Sentencing of the accused is expected on the 2nd of next month.
