INSIZA Rural District Council chairperson Daniel Konopo Mpofu is in trouble after he allegedly failed to account for $1 065 collected from a land developer he had promised a tender. BY SILAS NKALA
Mpofu (68) is accused of fleecing N and S Properties director Nicholas Masuku.
The politician from Plot number 17, Bradford Farm in Filabusi, pleaded not guilty to a charge of criminal abuse of duty as a public officer, when he appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Merilyn Mutshina on Wednesday.
The magistrate remanded the matter to July 13 for continuation of trial.
The court heard that between July 2 2014 and May 6 2015, Mpofu solicited for assistance from Masuku on behalf of Insiza Rural District Council promising him that they would be partners in a land developing project in Filabusi.
Mpofu allegedly received $470 and a truck head cylinder from Masuku for favours so that he could assist the land developer to get housing stands.
Masuku allegedly converted the money and the cylinder to his own use.
“We tried to contact him and he never gave any positive response.
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“This showed that our project would not succeed.
In addition, he referred us to Gwanda for tenders,” Masuku said.
But Mpofu claimed that Masuku reported him to the police because he had unearthed a land scandal involving Masuku’s children and relatives.
Masuku said Mpofu’s claims were false as he does not have relatives or children in Insiza where he owns a farm.
