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Court Reporter

Suspended Harare town clerk Hosiah Chisango will spend the weekend behind bars after a magistrate yesterday remanded him in custody to Monday for bail application.

Chisango yesterday appeared before magistrate Mr Ngoni Nduna on allegations of criminal abuse of office or alternatively failing to prevent corruption after allegedly appointing a chief security officer, allegedly outside his mandate.

He was not asked to plead to the charges.

The State, led by Mr Lancelot Mutsokoti, is expected to lead evidence from the investigating officer in the matter and council chief security officer, Dr Collen Tongowona.

It is the State’s case that on December 24, 2020, Chisango allegedly unlawfully directed the public safety division through a memorandum to start 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 and 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 Dr Tongowona was served with a letter of suspension through Geoffrey Manyere, who had been appointed acting chief security officer by Chisango.

Manyere was allegedly appointed by Chisango when Tongowona was not on suspension or leave. Chisango’s actions of appointing Manyere were inconsistent with his duties, which led to his arrest.

He is expected back in court on Monday for bail application.