Ex-Harare mayor Manyenyeni freed
By Auther Chimbgwa
Former Harare mayor Bernard Manyenyeni was Wednesday released on free bail following his arrest for allegedly prejudicing council of US$20 million in a botched land deal involving a prominent property developer.
Manyenyeni, who served as mayor on an MDC-T ticket from 2013 to 2018, is jointly charged with Josephine Ncube, who was acting town clerk between 2015 and 2017.
The two were taken to the Harare magistrates’ court by detectives facing criminal abuse of office charges.
Prosecutors say Manyenyeni and Ncube prejudiced council of US$20 million.
The allegations stem from their alleged role in unlawfully altering a land development agreement between the council and private developer, Shelter Zimbabwe.
The two appeared before Harare regional magistrate Marewanazho Gofa.
Allegations are that in 2013, Shelter Zimbabwe applied for a joint venture partnership with the council to service and develop residential stands in Donnybrook, Mabvuku citing that it was capable of servicing the stands.
The council approved the servicing and development of 1,500 residential stands in Mabvuku by Shelter Zimbabwe on 14 May 2013.
The state further claims that on September 15, 2017, Manyenyeni and Ncube amended section 7.1 of the Memorandum of Agreement through an Addendum and allowed Shelter Zimbabwe to allocate and sell unserviced stands cognisant of the fact that a council resolution was needed to amend the Memorandum of Agreement on behalf of the city of Harare.
The State further alleges that Shelter Zimbabwe went on to sell residential stands which they were not supposed to do so, according to the initial Memorandum of Agreement.
Shelter Zimbabwe has not yet developed the stands notwithstanding the fact that it sold the stands and received the money from prospective land owners.
According to the state, Manyenyeni and Ncube acted contrary to their duties as public officials through throwing council approval out of the window and mandating Shelter Zimbabwe to sell and allocate unserviced stands, resulting in the project now being funded by prospective beneficiaries.
The stands were sold at an average of US$15,000 each.
Rufaro Chonzi represented the State.
