Officials granted bail – Newsday Zimbabwe

FOUR Harare City Council (HCC) officials arrested on charges of criminal abuse of office involving $9 million have been granted bail of $500 each.

FOUR Harare City Council (HCC) officials arrested on charges of criminal abuse of office involving $9 million have been granted bail of $500 each.

The accused Never Murerwa (62), Jabulani Mukomazi (44), Denford Zhongu (69) and Tawanda Mutenhabundo (29) were remanded in custody until November 22 by Harare Regional Magistrate Marehwanazvo Gofa.

Gofa said the defense cited that the suspects should be released on bail under changed circumstances after one of the accused persons, Hosiah Chisango, was granted bail on the same charges.

Chisango was recently suspended as Municipal Clerk of Harare City Council.

Prosecutor Mercy Masamvi alleged that in January this year, Harare City Council embarked on a project to rehabilitate lampposts in Harare in preparation for the 44th session of the Heads of State Summit and of Government of the Sadc.

On January 29, the Procurement Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Praz) granted a few specific exemptions to facilitate the speedy completion of several key projects in time for the summit.

Consequently, a tender was published in the Official Gazette of the Generalitat on March 15 and launched on the Praz portal on March 19.

The court heard that 11 companies responded to the tender.

Juluka Endo Joint Venture, a company in which Moses Mpofu is the majority shareholder, was disqualified after failing to meet tender requirements.

However, city council workers allegedly colluded and awarded the tender for the remaining lots to the company.

This was contrary to the standard conditions in the tender document.

Following their recommendations, Harare City Council signed a contract with Juluka Endo Joint Venture and thereafter began preparation for an advance payment of the contract value of US$9,244,328.71.

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