ZACC arrests RTC trio for abuse of office

Samuel Kadungure
News Editor

THE Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) has arrested three Rusape Town Council executives on allegations of abuse of public office.

ZACC arrested Togarepi Rerwande (Human and Capital Development Officer), Morris Tekwa (Director of Housing, Health and Community Services), and Arnold Mandizvidza Kutoka, an engineer, on allegations of conspiring to award Texas Energy (Pvt) Ltd a 10-hectare plot of land in Sanzaguru to construct a solar plant without following due process.

Kutoka had since severed ties with the local authority at the time of his arrest.

ZACC spokesman, Mr Simiso Mlevu confirmed the arrest of the three.

“The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) has arrested three Rusape Town Council officials for criminal abuse of duty as public officers, in violation of Section 174 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act [Chapter 9:23]

“The accused are Togarepi Nerwande, who was acting Town Secretary at the time; Morris Tekwa (Director of Housing, Health and Community Services), and Arnold Mandizvidza Kutoka, a former council engineer,” said Mr Mlevu.

The three appeared before Mutare provincial magistrate Ms Annie Ndiraya today.

They were remanded them out of custody to June 27, on US$100 bail each, and ordered to reside at their given address and not to interfere with witnesses till finalisation of the matter.

Mrs Tafadzwa Zulu prosecuted.

Mrs Zulu said sometime in 2018, Texas Energy Pvt Ltd proposed developing a solar power plant in Tsanzaguru, Rusape, but the Ministry of Local Government rejected the proposal due to insufficient land and existing residential zoning.

Between September and December 2022, the three accused unlawfully revived and reprocessed the previously rejected application without adhering to required legal procedures.

On November 22, 2022 (Tekwa) allegedly published a misleading public notice under Section 152 of the Urban Council’s Act (Chapter 19:15) and Section G3 of the Urban State-land Administration Manual presenting the land as an “open space” suitable for solar plant yet it was reserved for residential purposes.

“On December 28, 2028, (Nerwande), who was the acting town secretary, allegedly proceeded to unlawfully sign a 99-year lease agreement to Texas Energy (Pvt) Ltd, which was represented by Petros Kazungu. No change of reservation was made as stipulated by the provisions of the Regional, Town and country Planning act (Chapter 29:21), which requires that any change of land use from the master plan must follow proper procedures, including public notification.

“The accused persons, knowingly, acted contrary to their duties as public officers by colluding to mislead the council through deliberate acts and omissions. Kutoka, then as the head of department, and statutory custodian of RTC’s master plan wilfully failed to disclose the land’s residential zoning status while Nerwande and two Tekwa allegedly misrepresented the proposal’s validity despite knowing of its prior rejection by the ministry and absence of the required due process,” said Mrs Zulu.

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