UPDATE: Harare Mayor Released After Questioning, Two Others Held for Alleged Fraud
Harare Mayor Jacob Mafume was released on Wednesday after being questioned for several hours by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC).
Meanwhile, Deputy Mayor Rosemary Muronda and former Harare South MP Shadreck Mashayamombe remain in custody.
Mafume’s lawyers stated that he was not formally arrested. “It was just an interview to assist with their investigation.
At the end of it they said they were not pressing any charges and he was free to go,” said Jeremiah Bamhu, a member of Mafume’s legal team.
Another lawyer, Advocate Method Ndlovu, mentioned that the questioning lasted just under six hours. The investigation focuses on the alleged improper sale of four housing stands in Newlands, Harare.
According to reports, a complainant paid US$600,000 for the land, claiming it involved Mafume.
A rival bidder, a Chinese national, later offered over US$1 million for the same stands, which led to an alleged attempt to refund the initial buyer. The complainant, suspecting fraud, reported the incident to ZACC.
It is unclear what role Mashayamombe and Muronda are believed to have had in the case.
In a brief statement, ZACC confirmed: “ZACC confirms the arrest of City of Harare deputy mayor, Councillor Rosemary Muronda, and former Harare South Member of Parliament, Shadreck Mashayamombe, on allegations of fraud involving the fraudulent sale of council land. The two are expected to appear in court soon.” The statement did not mention Mafume.
