An eight-member commission has implicated Chiyangwa in illicit deals involving vast tracts of municipal land which his companies acquired in suspicious circumstances between 2001 and 2008. At the time, a Zanu (PF) commission, illegally appointed by the Minister of Local Government, Rural and Urban Development, Ignatius Chombo, ran the affairs of the city.
When the council adopted the report of the investigating committee, Chiyangwa rushed to the police, claiming criminal defamation. The eight councillors, led by Mount Pleasant councillor Warship Dumba, were arrested, together with Muchadeyi Masunda, the Harare mayor. Although the council filed a complaint and made a counter report to the police for investigations into the corrupt deals, citing Chiyangwa as a prime suspect, the police did not act.
Chiyangwa subsequently withdrew the defamation action. Now, the councillors have constituted a probe team, which Chiyangwa has argued is biased.
The probe team comprises former Attorney General Andrew Chigovera, retired Supreme Court judge Justice Ibrahim and Sarah Kachingwe, a civil society activist.
Chiyangwa said the ‘kangaroo tribunal’ was conditioned to return a guilty verdict.
“There is a clear danger of bias. It cannot be denied that council will have influence over the tribunal. I submit that council is seeking to act as a judge in its own cause under the disguise of the investigating tribunal,” his application reads. Chiyangwa also challenged the composition of the tribunal, appointed by Mayor Masunda.
Post published in: News