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Abigail Mawonde Herald Correspondent
Chegutu Municipality has suspended its director of finance Mr Isaac Mhaka to facilitate investigations into possible embezzlement.

Investigations are underway to establish the amount missing, but sources say the figure is close to $15 000. Mr Mhaka is a former director of finance at Government owned National Oil Company of Zimbabwe (NOCZIM).His suspension followed an internal audit.

“Further to a preliminary investigation conducted by the internal audit on my instruction of 15 April, 2016 in the wake of allegations of financial impropriety by yourself, I have since gone through the preliminary report and came to the conclusion that there is need to thoroughly examine the issues raised against your person,” reads a letter by Municipality of Chegutu town clerk Mr Alex Mandigo to Mr Mhaka dated June 6, 2016.

“In the circumstances, therefore, I am persuaded to suspect that you were involved in an act of misconduct in terms of the Municipality of Chegutu Employment Code of Conduct (2016) whereupon this letter serves to suspend you from duty with full pay, allowances and benefits, pending further investigations into the alleged breaches.”

The suspension will initially be for 14 days as prescribed by employment code.

“Notably the suspension emanates from the receipt of information that cited you as having committed a number of serious breaches over the past several months up to the time of the preliminary investigations. You are therefore alleged to have embezzled and misappropriated council funds as defined in section 5.4 (d) and (e) of the code where council lost a substantial amount of money from your alleged actions,” added Mr Mandigo.

Mr Mhaka was barred from visiting any of council premises including the Town House without prior authorisation to allow investigations to go on smoothly.

He is also required to co-operate with council as and when required during the period of his suspension.

Council also indicated it would be using Mr Mhaka’s official house in Hintonville, Chegutu, “for the purpose of service of documentation”.

“Also note that any breach of these suspension terms would constitute further chargeable offences,” said Mr Mandigo.

An expenditure accountant only identified as Mr T. Chikati takes over from Mr Mhaka on an acting basis.

Repeated efforts to get a comment from Mr Mhaka were fruitless yesterday.

Mr Mandigo was also not available for comment by the time of going to print.