The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) has seized luxury vehicles belonging to the wives of Harare’s imprisoned town clerk, Hosiah Chisango. Zacc suspects that these cars were purchased with money obtained through corrupt activities at Town House, the city’s municipal headquarters.
Chisango, who was arrested last month, is currently behind bars, unable to secure bail. He faces charges of criminal abuse of office, linked to a shady US$9.2 million streetlights contract. The deal was awarded to Juluka Endo Joint Venture, a company co-owned by businessman Moses Mpofu, who is also in remand prison for the same case.
Zacc officials confirmed that they recently confiscated two high-end vehicles: a Toyota Fortuner from Chisango’s third wife and a Mercedes-Benz from his fourth wife, who is heavily pregnant. In addition to these seizures, Zacc is also eyeing a mansion in Mt Pleasant that Chisango is reportedly building for one of his wives.
The luxurious Mt Pleasant home is believed to be one of the most impressive in the suburb. Zacc suspects that the funds used to construct the mansion also stem from Chisango’s alleged corrupt dealings at Harare City Council.
A source close to the investigation revealed, “The Mt Pleasant house could simply be one of the best houses in the suburb, but we believe the money came from proceeds from HCC corrupt activities.”
When asked about the recent developments, Harare Mayor Jacob Mafume refrained from commenting. “Yes, I heard about that, but I don’t want to comment on such matters. [Zacc] can comment on that,” he stated.
Zacc’s communications manager, Simiso Mlevu, also declined to provide further details, citing the ongoing court proceedings. “The case pertaining to the town clerk is already before the courts, therefore, sub judice so we don’t want to comment on the matter at the moment. The courts have the final say,” Mlevu explained.
Chisango’s legal troubles began when prosecutor Anesu Chirenje accused him and four other city officials of improperly awarding the US$9.2 million streetlights contract to Juluka Endo. The company should not have been eligible to bid, as its sister company, Synlak (Pvt) Ltd, had previously failed to deliver on a separate City of Harare contract.
Despite being blacklisted, Juluka Endo was still awarded the lucrative tender, raising serious questions about the integrity of the bidding process. The investigation into these allegations is ongoing, and Chisango is expected to return to court on August 22 as authorities continue to gather evidence.
The case against Chisango is part of a broader crackdown on corruption by Zacc, which has been targeting individuals suspected of abusing their positions for personal gain. By seizing assets believed to have been acquired through illicit means, Zacc aims to send a clear message that corruption will not be tolerated.
Source: Newsday
