CONVICTED former Midlands Provincial Affairs Minister Jason
Machaya and provincial planning officer, Chaisayanyerwa Chibururu — serving a
30-month prison term for criminal abuse of office — were back in court
yesterday to answer to more charges of illegally allocating State land.
Machaya and Chibururu were two weeks ago each sentenced to
48 months imprisonment for criminal abuse of office before 18 months were
suspended from each sentence on condition of good behaviour.
Machaya (68) and Chibururu (50), were convicted for
unlawfully allocating about 1 000 stands in Gokwe town.
Yesterday, they were back in court jointly charged with
former Midlands and Mashonaland West provincial development co-ordinator
Cecilia Chitiyo and five other senior Government officials facing allegations
of illegally allocating State land.
The other five are Matilda Manhambo (59), Sherpard Marweyi
(48), Sifelani Moyo (59), Ethel Mlalazi (65) and Everest Nyamadzawo (33).
They appeared before a Harare regional magistrate Mr
Stanford Mambanje, who has taken over the matter from his Bulawayo counterpart
Mrs Sibongile Msipa-Marondedze, facing charges of illegally allocating more
than 11 000 stands to land developers.
They are also facing criminal abuse of office charges. The
trial was supposed to kick off yesterday after Mrs Msipa-Marondedze in the last
appearance last year ruled against the accused’s application for stay of
prosecution.
The matter was remanded to November 16 for trial. Machaya
on this matter is out on $1 000 bail while the rest are out on $200 bail each. They
all pleaded not guilty to the charges.
However, following the imprisonment of Machaya and
Chibhururu at Whawha Medium Prison, there was a delay in communication which
saw Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services (ZPCS) failing to bring the duo
to court on Monday.
They appeared yesterday following communication between the
ZPCS and National Prosecution Authority (NPA).
It is the State’s case that Chitiyo allegedly allocated
State land totalling 4 469 stands to land developers by co-signing offer
letters for the State land with Machaya.
Manhambo, who was the provincial projects officer under the
then Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing, allegedly
allocated 2 000 stands to land developers and entities working in cahoots with
Machaya.
Similarly, Marweyi, who is the district development
co-ordinator for Gweru, allegedly allocated 5 199 stands to land developers
also working in cahoots with Machaya.
Nyamadzawo, who is an administrative officer, is accused of
unlawfully writing a survey instruction letter to the Surveyor-General,
instructing his office to nominate a surveyor for the State land, knowing fully
well that the Government had not allocated that land.
Survey instructions, the State argues, can only be written
in respect of State land allocated to persons and entities by the Ministry of
Local Government, Public Works and National Housing.
Chibhururu, Moyo and Mlalazi are facing abuse of office
charges. Mr Mirirai Shumba represented the State. Chronicle
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