Francis Moyo, the former chairperson of Chiredzi Town Council, found himself in legal trouble after being apprehended by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) and subsequently presented before a regional magistrate last Friday on charges of criminal abuse of office.
The allegations against Moyo stem from his tenure as the chairperson of the local authority between 2014 and 2018, during which his personal company purportedly received 50 commonage stands.
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Moyo, who contested as the Zanu PF candidate for Chiredzi Central in the 2023 general elections, was released on US$500 bail the following Saturday. His next court appearance is scheduled for 8 March.
The prosecution asserts that Chiredzi Town Council submitted 50 commonage stands to the Ministry of Local Government, which were then awarded to Inotrade Investments in Tshovani township in May 2013. Inotrade Investments, directed by Trinity Mutsetse, later partnered with Justin Chauke Housing Cooperative, linked to Moyo, to develop and construct the stands.
Subsequent investigations revealed that no payment was made to the Ministry of Local Government for the stands, amounting to a prejudice of US$60,000.
Moyo’s arrest occurred shortly after another Zacc team visited Chiredzi Town Council inquiring about documents related to the irregular procurement of a Toyota GD6 single-cab vehicle by former chairperson Gibson Hwende in 2021. The vehicle was allegedly sold to Hwende for a significantly reduced price without adhering to proper procedures.
Jameson Charumbira, the current chairperson of Chiredzi Town Council, confirmed Zacc’s visit but was unaware of their specific objectives.
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