Chisango investigations almost complete Hoseah Chisango

Nyore Madzianike
Senior Court Reporter
THE State yesterday said there are a few issues that needed to be investigated before furnishing suspended Harare Town Clerk Hoseah Chisango with a trial date in a matter in which he is accused of corruptly appointing the chief security officer at Town House.

Prosecutor Mrs Netsai Mushayabasa said the State was in possession of the docket and had noted a few issues that needed to be resolved before furnishing Chisango with a trial date.

She then applied for postponement of the matter to allow the State to attend to the said issues. Chisango is facing allegations of criminal abuse of office or alternatively failing to prevent corruption after allegedly appointing a chief security officer outside his mandate.

Harare regional magistrate Mr Stanford Mambanje yesterday allowed the State to attend to the issues before Friday when the matter returns to court.

“I will allow the deferment to this Friday to allow the State chance to attend to its administrative issues. The State said there are issues to be solved and noted that the delays should not be too long,” he said.

Chisango, through lawyer Ms Gayton Vhiriri, had opposed the postponement arguing that they had been attending court for a long time with the State failing to furnish them with trial date.

It is the State’s case that on December 24, 2020, Chisango unlawfully directed through a memorandum, that the public safety division starts reporting to him.

Chisango also allegedly ordered the division to stop reporting to the Chamber Secretary as was council’s procedure.

The court heard that the directive was supposed to have been issued after he sought council authority to allow a new reporting structure to be designed.

Chisango allegedly favoured himself by assuming direct control of the division, which was reportedly behind the investigation of dubious land deals by Harare City Council executives.

He is alleged to have further convened a meeting with the public safety division’s management and gave them a verbal directive to reinforce the memorandum he had originated.

On January 13, 2021, the council’s chief superintendent and head of investigations Geoffrey Manyere was served with a letter of suspension through Dr Tongowona who had been appointed acting chief security officer by Chisango.

Manyere was allegedly appointed by Chisango when Dr Tongowona was not on suspension or leave.

The State contends that Chisango’s actions of appointing Manyere were inconsistent with his duties.

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