2 weeks Ago By Paidashe Mandivengerei
Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) Harare councillor for ward 21 Blessing Duma has been remanded in custody awaiting bail hearing which is set to commence this Friday. Duma also the chairperson of the city of Harare Audit committee is facing extortion charges. He briefly appeared before Magistrate Stanford Mambanje on Thursday and was not asked to plead.
Appearing for the State, Mercy Masamvi alleged that sometime in June 2024, two provisional allocation offer letters of two unserviced residential stand numbers 3868 and 3903 in Mabelreign for Walter Chigwereva and Danai Dzawanda respectively, were sent to the director of housing (Admore Nhekairo)’s office. The court heard that after perusing the letters it was realised that the letters did not bear the signature and stamp of the principal housing officer as an indication that he had referred them to his office. “The complainant (Nhekairo) realised that these letters had not followed procedure and decided to withhold the letters pending an internal investigation pertaining to their origin.
“On August 26, 2024, and at City of Harare offices, the accused person approached the complainant enquiring on why his office had not released the fraudulently submitted letters that were referred to his offices for signing,” reads court papers. It is further alleged that using his position as the chairperson of the Audit Committee, Duma intimated to the complainant how it was prudent for him to fast-track the process by just appending his signature on the letters since amongst them included names recommended by the accused. “In response, the complainant refused on the basis that the letters should have been referred to him procedurally,” the court heard.
The court heard that thereafter, Duma mounted pressure on the complainant by threatening him that, as the chairperson of the Audit Committee, he would expose Nhekairo and his department at the next scheduled meeting. To prove that he was serious, he further forwarded the names of Danai Dzawanda, Success Muyenga and Chigwereva, demanding that he illegally allocate them stands if he wanted to be saved from exposure. “On August 27 2024, the accused approached the complainant requesting the production of the signed letters but was received with a negative response.
“Thereafter, the accused warned the complainant on how his committee would proceed to take adverse action against him, taint Pure Gold and Shelter Zimbabwe,” the State alleges further..
