ZIMSPHERE
HARARE – Two senior officials of the City of Harare have been sentenced to nine years in prison by the Harare High Court for criminal abuse of duty in connection with an illegal land deal scandal, the National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe (NPAZ) reported.
Stanley Ndemera, formerly Acting Finance Director, and Emmanuel Mutambirwa, former Valuations and Estate Manager, were convicted by the Harare High Court on July 8, 2024.
They received a ten-year sentence, with one year suspended for five years, resulting in an effective nine-year imprisonment.
The court found that Ndemera and Mutambirwa facilitated the unlawful sale of three commercial stands to Optel Enterprises Private Limited, Silverharbour Enterprises Private Limited, and Leanforth Investments Private Limited.
The officials were accused of multiple violations, including:
- Selling land under an existing lease agreement with Old Hararians Sports Club.
- Offering the stands for sale contrary to a 2005 council resolution requiring a tender process.
- Failing to secure an Environmental Impact Assessment Report from the Environmental Management Agency before development.
- Neglecting to initiate change of reservation procedures.
- Not fully complying with Section 152 of the Urban Councils Act by inadequately advertising the land sale intentions.
Initially, four officials faced charges. Hebert Gomba was discharged after the State's case, while Daniel Usingarahwe was acquitted following a full trial.
In related developments, Harare Town Clerk Hosiah Chisango is in custody over a separate $9 million street lighting tender scandal.
He was denied bail by the Harare Magistrates Court.
The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) has since seized luxury cars from the wives of the incarcerated Chisango; as the anti-graft body says these were purchased from the proceeds of corrupt activities at Town House.
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