The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) has vowed to press new charges against five Harare City Council officials after the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) withdrew its case against them in a US$9 million streetlights tender scandal.
The officials—Town Clerk Hosiah Chisango, Supply Chain Manager Never Murerwa, Principal Accountant Denford Zhungu, Engineering Technician Tawanda Mutenhabundo, and Principal Contracts Administrator Artkins Mandaza—were initially charged in connection with the allegedly fraudulent tender process.
However, the NPA opted to drop charges against them while indicting only Harare City Council Principal Buyer Jabulani Mukomazi.
In response, ZACC expressed its dissatisfaction with the development but acknowledged the prosecuting authority’s legal mandate.
“ZACC respects the position taken by the NPA and acknowledges that it is the mandate of the prosecuting authority to institute and manage criminal prosecutions in Zimbabwe,” the anti-graft body stated.
However, ZACC insists that the five officials played a role in the tender irregularities and should face justice.
“The Commission, however, maintains that the accused persons are criminally liable for the fraudulent awarding of the tender and should defend their actions in court,” the statement read.
As a result, ZACC is preparing to revive legal proceedings against the officials.
“Accordingly, ZACC is looking into the matter and will be preferring new charges against the five accused persons,” the commission confirmed.
The US$9 million streetlights tender case is among a series of corruption scandals that have plagued the Harare City Council, with allegations of mismanagement and fraud contributing to the city’s deteriorating infrastructure.
With ZACC determined to press forward, the latest developments signal that the legal battle over the tender fraud case is far from over.
