The court granted Kauma a US$500 bail and is set to appear
in court on July 31, this year.
According to a statement released by the National
Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe (NPAZ), Kauma appeared before Chiredzi
Magistrate’s court facing fraud and abuse of office charges.
It is the state’s case that sometime in 2013, Chiredzi Town
Council offered the accused person, who then was council Engineer, a commercial
stand measuring 2195 square meters in the New Central Business District (CBD).
The NPAZ further noted that sometime in 2023, the town
council resolved that the stand that had been sold to the accused person, but
had not been developed, be handed over to the Chiredzi Small to Medium
Enterprises Chamber following their application for a commercial stand. The
council resolved that the accused person was to be given another stand in
Melbourne Park.
When Chiredzi Small and Medium Enterprises Chamber began
the construction of a shopping mall the accused person allegedly approached
them and ordered them to stop any further developments, claiming that he owned
the stand.
This prompted investigations by the Zimbabwe
Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) which revealed that the accused person
demanded payment from the Chiredzi Small and Medium Enterprises Chamber for it
to continue with the developments on the stand.
The Chamber gave in to the accused person’s demands and
agreed to hand over five shops to the accused person once the project was
complete. The five shops were said to be valued at US$75 000.00.
Eng Kauma is set to appear in court for the commencement of
trial.
However, Chiredzi Town Council Chairperson, Jameson
Charumbira said as council they were not aware that their employee was
arrested.
“We haven’t received any formal communication that our
employee was arrested,” said Charumbira.
Meanwhile, deputy director of planning and public works
Consider Kubiku is currently the Acting Town Secretary following a resolution
by special full council meeting held on July 3. TellZimNews
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