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Crime Reporter
The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) is investigating newly appointed Harare City Council director of housing and social development Mr Edmore Nhekairo on allegations of defrauding Marondera Town Council of cash, residential and commercial stands amounting to thousands of dollars.

Mr Nhekairo was appointed director of housing and social development in March after leaving Marondera council where he was a housing director.

Documents in possession of The Herald indicate that Mr Nhekairo is accused of owning several residential and commercial properties in Marondera.

Following his appointment by Harare City Council, officials in Marondera made a report to ZACC. The officials cited a number of cases in their report.

“Mr Nhekairo fraudulently stole more than 50 cattle belonging to council of Marondera, which he was convicted of and had to pay back in form of cash. Mr Nhekairo fraudulently sold gumtrees in the Hunyani Farm that was given to council and he converted all the proceeds to his personal use and was called to appear before a council hearing over the matter,” reads part of the report.

The report indicates the money estimated to have been swindled at $12 million.

“Mr Nhekairo fraudulently sold Atherstone residential stands to his mother-in-law and began to sell residential stands as if his mother-in-law was the one developing them yet he was behind all this”.

He is reported to have allocated himself stands in Rusike Phase 3, which were designated for a nightclub (stand number 93), shop (94), butchery (95), a new building (107), a wholesale (231); a bottle store (232) at Gombe Shopping Centre; Gomba beerhall (39) and stand number 40 for a bottle store at Nyameni Shopping Centre.

At Cherutombo Shopping Centre he reportedly owns stands number 115, 116 and 117 for a supermarket, shopping mall and a grinding mill respectively while in Atherstone he owns residential and a commercial stands.

In Weston Park he is alleged to own a residential stand and there are also reports that he fraudulently sold himself a rented house that was being sublet to him by council.

Mr Nhekairo also owns stands number 154 and 155 at Tsimba Shopping Centre and fraudulently allocated himself another two residential stands in Rusike area that were meant for the less privileged.

There are also three houses said to be registered in his name in Rusike area.