Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC), spokesperson Commissioner John Makamure
The councillors allegedly connived to pass a resolution to by-pass stipulated Government tender procedures, prejudicing the local authority of $1.3 million.
ZACC spokesperson Commissioner John Makamure confirmed the arrests made on Tuesday night on charges of criminal abuse of duty. He said:
We arrested the following ward 1 Cllr Patrick Chipere (51), ward 4 Cllr Elizabeth Chidza (43), ward 9 Cllr Luckson Zengeni (43), ward 3 Joseph Nyamupera (59) and ward 7 Cllr Ndabanengi Mataga (38).
The accused persons working in connivance passed a resolution to bypass the Procurement Act, the resolution was then used to handpick lawyers Mugiya and Muchadehama who then offered legal services worth $1 300 000 ignoring procurement thresholds and tendering process thereby showing favour to the handpicked lawyers.