(Last Updated on April 23, 2024 by ZIMDAILY EDITOR)
CHITUNGWIZA – A former Chitungwiza councillor, Stan Warikandwa, who served as a committee member for the Chitungwiza Housing Committee, has been arraigned in court for criminal abuse of office.
Warikandwa allegedly conspired with other officials to allocate residential stands without following proper procedures.
According to the State, Warikandwa, along with suspended town planner Rosemary Maridza and former Chitungwiza Housing Director Alex Mukweva, created and allocated six residential stands in Zengeza 2, Chitungwiza, without adhering to the Urban Councils’ Act and the Regional, Town and Country Planning Act.
The stands were allocated to individuals who were not on the waiting list, including Stanford Kugara and Costa Tichareva.
The State alleges that Warikandwa and his co-conspirators showed favor to the beneficiaries and failed to follow the Municipality’s land policy. Warikandwa is also accused of creating a fraudulent special power of attorney, claiming that Kugara and Tichareva had given him control over the stands, when in fact he was the beneficiary from the start.
Warikandwa appeared before Magistrate Estere Chivasa at the Harare Magistrates’ Courts and was remanded in custody.
The case highlights concerns about corruption and abuse of office in Zimbabwe’s local government.