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Chegutu mayor Dhlakama arrested
By Zvamaida Murwira,The Herald (Zimbabwe)
July 26, 2004

http://www.herald.co.zw/index.php?id=34181&pubdate=2004-07-26

Chegutu mayor Francis Dhlakama, his deputy Phineas Mariyapera and some councillors were last week arrested and brought before a Chegutu magistrate at the weekend when they were remanded in custody.

Officer-in-Charge for police in Chegutu Inspector Ganyani confirmed to The Herald yesterday the arrest of the senior council officials and their subsequent appearance in court, but could not shed more light on the nature of their charges.

He referred questions to the Criminal Investigation Department (Serious Fraud Squad) officers, who could not be reached for comment.

All councillors, including the mayor, have been on suspension since last month to allow investigations by an audit committee set up by the Minister of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing, Cde Ignatius Chombo.

Dhlakama assumed office on an opposition MDC ticket in 2001 while other councillors were elected under the ruling Zanu-PF aegis.

The audit report from the ministry had recommended that the council be dissolved and a commission be appointed to run council after it had cited a number of irregularities, including that of defying the minister.

Inspection of the council books by the audit committee unearthed various and massive financial irregularities, prompting the institution of a fully-fledged fraud investigation by the Zimbabwe Republic Police Commercial Crime Unit.

The report described the councillors as "highly corrupt" and gave examples of cases where a number of residential stands were sold at give-away prices to cronies.

Some workers were said to be appearing on two payrolls — one for permanent staff and the other for casual workers.

Numerous cases of money being banked in wrong accounts and diversion of funds meant for some projects were also cited.

The Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Local Government, Public Works and National Housing also produced a damning report last month, which cited factionalism to advance a well-known "mafia and crime racket" whose purpose was to violate other people’s rights for political purposes.

The committee recommended that police fraud and commercial crime units should investigate some council officials.

Mariyapera, several councillors and council employees were mentioned as some of the individuals who were engaged in the fraudulent activities.

The report revealed that council funds raised through the sale of stands and unbilled services in respect of rates and water charges could not be accounted for as no books of accounts were kept.

Mariyapera allegedly employed a youth group known as the "mafia", whose specific task was to unleash violence on staff members that refused to carry out his order, the report revealed.

Mariyapera was said to be running the show as Dhlakama was said to be taking orders from his subordinate.

The damning report said there had been a general breakdown of governance of the council.

Mariyapera and some councillors were also accused of deliberately ignoring their duties as policy makers while they were usurping powers of other administrators.

The report also claimed that there was a crime racket in council in which Mariyapera’s relatives were placed in strategic positions like cash collection points.

Lack of financial records in council was cause for concern as funds were withdrawn from council coffers using manual receipts.

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