t following procedures in the disposal of a motor vehicle and house recently sold to the chairperson and his deputy, Irene Zindi.
A businessman, Chaeruka is alleged to have bought a late model Nissan Cefiro vehicle from the local authority for only Z$300 million, payable over four years at an interest rate of 19 percent per annum. This is about five percent of the open market value of around Z$6 billion.
It is alleged that Zindi, a former ruling party MP for Hatfield in Harare, bought an upmarket three bed-roomed council house for a miserly Z$975 million, also payable over four years at an interest rate of 30 percent per annum.
The house is situated close to the city’s central business district. Similar houses fetch more than Z$5 billion, city estate agents told ZimOnline.
Contacted for comment, Chaeruka confirmed buying the council vehicle but insisted that both transactions were above board.
“Before we bought these properties the council’s evaluators went out on the market to get actual market values. I bought the Cefiro for $300 million and there was nothing sinister about that because the issue went through all the stages before I finally bought it,” said Chaeruka, adding the same applied with the sale of the house to Zindi.
The decision to sell the properties to the two senior commissioners was made during a council meeting held on June 21 this year.
Chaeruka is also being accused of abusing the council’s fuel facility after he reportedly drew 432 litres of fuel between July 5 and 8 using four different vehicles.
Chaeruka is also accused of allocating a Nissan Hardbody belonging to council to his wife. The commission chairperson insisted that the fuel withdrawals were done above board. – ZimOnline