The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) has arrested two government officials who pocketed US$3 Million from the sale of 60 residential stands in Sally Mugabe Heights suburb.
ZACC spokesperson John Makamure confirmed the arrest saying the two, “Rejoice Pazvakavambwa, aged 46 years, and Lazarus Chimba aged 73 acted in connivance and prejudiced the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works the sum of USD3 828 000.00 being the value of the 60 residential stands.”
Pazvakavambwa is the Deputy Director Valuation and Estate Management under the Ministry of Lands Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Resettlement and at the material time she was the Chief Valuations Officer in the Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and Urban Development and responsible for proper Administration and validation of Deed of Grants and Transfer of Deeds.
Chimba is the former Deputy Director Valuation and Estate Management in the Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and Urban Development. He was a public officer. Currently he is employed by Evaluations Estates as the Registrar of Evaluation.
It is being alleged that on 13 September 2007, the Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and Urban Development entered into a partnership agreement with Sally Mugabe Heights Housing Co-operative for the Development of residential stands ranging from 1 000 to 2 000 square metres at Arcorn Farm.
Datronics Private Limited was chosen as the developer for facilitating Title surveys, Engineering design plans, Road construction, provision of storm water drainage, water and electricity reticulation to standards approved by the Local Authority and ZESA.
“The role of Ministry in the partnership was to provide land at intrinsic value, facilitate Title survey and issuance of Title Deeds. In terms of clause 2.2 of the Agreement, the Ministry set aside 319 residential stands as security to the Developer to cover for his money in the event that some of the beneficiaries fail to pay the full cost of servicing the stands,” said Makamure in a statement.
The 319 residential stands were in the custody of the Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and Urban Development and were to be transferred to Datronics in terms of clause 2.2 of the Agreement.
In early 2008, Datronics wrote a correspondence to the State lands Section, seeking to be given Security residential stands to use at NDH Bank Limited in order to secure loans to use for servicing the land.
Upon receiving the request from Datronics and on 2 February 2008, Happiness Masaraure an Administration Clerk at the State lands office sought guidance from Accused 2 wherein he asked whether they should grant Datronics free grants. Ordinarily free grants are only given on special circumstances by the Minister in liaison with the President.
It is said Chimba then responded and advised Happiness Masaraure to follow the same procedure that was used at Carrick Creagh where free grants were issued.
Pursuant to the request, Chimba, acting in connivance with Pazvakavambwa, went on to issue 60 residential stands measuring 2 000 square metres each as Free Grants to Datronics contrary to the Agreement.
Pazvakavambwa, as the appointed signatory to the Deeds at the material time, went on to sign 60 deeds in respect of the 60 stands to Datronics thus giving them Early Title [ownership of the stands] without conditions and without authority and approval from the Minister.
According to ZACC, the duo as public officers were well aware of the conditions for giving Early Title which required them to put a caveat which is a restrictive condition to prevent the Developer from selling the stands without the approval of the Minister.
The accused persons were also aware that the Developer had not met conditions for early title and that he had not met his contractual obligations as no meaningful developments had been done on the ground. There was also no certificate of compliance from the local authority.
The accused persons actions were in apparent show of favor to Datronics and prejudicial to the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works in the sum of USD3 828 000.00 being the value of the 60 residential stands.
