Story by Peter Chivhima
TWO Chitungwiza Municipality officials have appeared in Court facing charges of criminal abuse of office.
The two, Chitungwiza Municipality Land Surveyor, Henry Kandawasvika and former Chitungwiza Town Planner, Rosemary Maridza appeared at the Harare Magistrates Court this Wednesday.
Kandawasvika who was arrested by officers from the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) this Tuesday, was jointly charged with Maridza and the suspended Director for Housing, Hazel Sithole, who is on remand.
Allegations are that sometime in 2019, Maridza created a site plan for 30 commercial stands in Unit G, Makoni Business Centre without following due procedure.
The land which belongs to the state and requires Ministerial authority for change of use was reserved for an open space on the Chitungwiza Municipality layout plan.
It is alleged that Kandawasvika and Maridza made false representations on verification forms claiming that the land was for commercial use.
It is further alleged that the stands were submitted to the suspended Chitungwiza Director of Housing who went on to allocate the land to hand-picked individuals, contrary to the municipality’s housing policy.
The duo was freed on ZWL$100 000 bail each.
