Chombo, represented by Lovemore Madhuku, Tungamirai
Muganhiri and Munyaradzi Bwanya, is facing six counts of fraud and criminal
abuse of office relating to illegal parcelling out of State land.
Regional magistrate Stanford Mambanje is expected to
deliver bail ruling today. Madhuku told the court that his client would
challenge his placement on remand on his next court appearance.
He further said Chombo would challenge his unlawful
detention and that he was already on remand on other related counts.
But the State, represented by Charles Muchemwa and Ephraim
Zinyandu, opposed bail, saying Chombo committed a serious offence and must not
be released since they feared he would interfere with State witnesses.
Investigations officer Maxwell Gudoricharima further told
the court that Chombo opened a personal bank account into which co-operatives
around the country deposited various amounts of money, instead of directing the
money into government coffers.
“The arrest emanated from the Commission of Inquiry (into
sale of State land) by Justice (Tendai) Uchena. The accused opened a bank
account with the name Ignatius Chombo Housing Co-operatives, where several
housing co-operatives remitted money for his personal use,” Gudoricharima said.
The investigations officer said they were still
investigating the matter as the Special Anti-Corruption Unit.
Allegations against Chombo are that between 2000 and 2015,
he illegally caused desperate land seekers to deposit money into his Agribank
bank account for land development purposes.
It is alleged Chombo misrepresented to beneficiaries that
if they contributed the money, he would allocate them stands at several farms
in and around Harare. Newsday
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