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Court Reporter
HARARE Mayor Jacob Mafume was yesterday granted $30 000 bail by the High Court after spending more than a week in custody on alleged corrupt allocation of council stands to his sister and his law firm’s secretary.

Mafume had appealed to the High Court after Deputy Chief Magistrate Ms Bianca Makwande denied him bail, citing the fact that the mayor was likely to interfere with witnesses.

Jacob Mafume

On appeal, Justice Benjamin Chikowero allowed the appeal by Mafume and released him on bail.

Mafume is being charged with criminal abuse of office for allegedly allocating Westlea stands to his sister Rotina Mafume and his law firm’s secretary Rutendo Muvuti without following due process.

In denying Mafume bail, the remand court had ruled that it was in the best interest of justice to keep Mafume in custody to allow police to conclude their investigations without interference, though it had been established that four witnesses had already had their statements recorded.