A TOP Insiza Rural District Council official says he is not aware of a tender that was purportedly promised to a Bulawayo-based land developer now accusing the local authority’s chairperson of demanding bribes.
BY SILAS NKALA
The council’s chief executive officer Fedris Manhombe yesterday told the Bulawayo Magistrates’ Court that he was not aware of the tender allegedly promised to N and S Properties director Nicholas Masuku by council chairperson Daniel Konopo Mpofu.
Mpofu (68) appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Merilyn Mutshina charged with criminal abuse of duty as a public officer, after he allegedly collected $1 065 from Masuku and promised him a tender.
The politician from Plot number 17, Bradford Farm, Filabusi, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Manhombe said he came to know about Masuku’s alleged deal after the council’s projects and planning officer told him the land developer had phoned several times proposing to work with the local authority.
“We had to have a meeting with him on September 5 2014 to enable him to tell us what services he was intending to offer,” he said.
“We wanted him to demonstrate what he would do and he said his company serviced stands.
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“They later advised us to call Umguza Rural District Council where they claimed to have built some ponds.”
However, Manhombe said Umguza council said they had never worked with N and S Properties and this ended their interest in the proposed deal.
“We then said we should forget about them, they are not honest,” he said.
The council boss said he was not aware of any tender that Mpofu promised to Masuku and his company.
Mutshina remanded the matter to today where Mpofu would be put to his defence.
According to prosecutors, 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 development 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.
Masuku said he tried to contact Mpofu after the payments, but he was not forthcoming with the housing stands.
“In addition, he referred us to Gwanda for tenders,” Masuku said.
But Mpofu claimed the complainant 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 did not have relatives or children in Insiza where he owns a farm.
