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Nyore Madzianike

TWO Harare City Council directors, Cainos Chingombe and Tendai Kwenda, who were accused of misappropriating funds meant for the provision of water, sanitation, education and recreational services and bought themselves top of the range cars, were today acquitted of the charges by a Harare magistrate.

Chingombe and Kwenda were cleared of the criminal abuse of office as public officers and theft of trust property charges by Harare regional magistrate Mrs Vongai Guwiriro.

Chingombe was accused of transferring US$130 000 while Kwenda was accused of transferring US$70 000 from the council’s Traditional Beer Levy Account into their respective bank accounts and bought top of the range cars.

Mrs Guwuriro acquitted the two council directors after noting that the State failed to lead evidence through its witnesses which warranted their conviction.

The court also ruled that the State failed to prove that the Traditional Beer Levy Account existed after the court was told of the existence of a general account only.

Kwenda was finance director while Chingombe was human resource capital director at council during the time they were accused of committing the offence.