Harare magistrate Mr Taurai Manuwere yesterday removed from remand local government director Mlindeli Sayi who was accused of criminal abuse of office in alleged land deals due insufficient evidence.
Sayi and Arosume Property Developers accountant Katson Kwaramba were brought to court by Zimbabwe Anti Corruption Commission last year.
The allegations were that on June 7, 2007, the Local Government ministry and land developers, Sally Mugabe Housing Co-operative and Arosume Development, entered into a partnership for the development of 154 residential stands in Carrick Creagh, Harare.
The agreement provided that the ministry was going to provide the developer with 50 stands as security against loss in case the beneficiaries defaulted on payment.
In 2009, the ministry conducted land valuation for 154 stands in Carrick Creagh and determined that the intrinsic value for the 50 stands allocated to Arosume Developers as security against loss was US$1 193 000.
Zacc investigations had alleged that despite the fact that some of the beneficiaries had fully paid the development fees to Arosume Property Developers, Sayi corruptly authorised the developer to sell the 50 stands set aside as security against loss in local currency, instead of US dollars.
Also read: ‘No gold reserves were ever stolen during my tenure’: ex-governor Gideon Gono
However, Sayi denied the allegations in his application for removal from remand saying they were malicious.
He also challenged that the allegations were put by those who want his post at local government as there are no proof to the allegations.
In removing them from remand regional magistrate Taurai Manuwere read the operative part of the ruling for removal from remand saying the allegations lacks evidence to convict the accused person’s hence removing them from remand.
For comments, Feedback and Opinions do get in touch with our editor on WhatsApp: +27 82 836 5828
