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Prosper Dembedza Herald Correspondent

LOCAL Government and Public Works Ministry director Mlindeli Sayi, accused of criminal abuse of office in the Carrick Creagh development in Borrowdale, Harare, has been removed from remand owing to insufficient evidence.

Arosume Property Developers’ accountant Katson Kwaramba, also brought to court by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) last year over Carrick Creagh, was also removed from remand. The two can still be tried should more evidence be uncovered, but will have to be summonsed to court.

Allegations were that on June 7, 2007, the Local Government Ministry and land developers Sally Mugabe Housing Cooperative and Arosume Property Developers, entered into a partnership for the development of 154 residential stands in Carrick Creagh in northern Borrowdale.

Under the agreement, the ministry would provide the developers with 50 stands as security against loss in case the buyers defaulted on payment. A 2009 ministry land valuation for the 154 stands found the intrinsic value for the 50 stands allocated as security was US$1 193 000.

ZACC investigations had alleged that despite the fact that some of the buyers had fully paid the development fees to Arosume Property Developers, Sayi corruptly authorised the developer to sell in local currency rather than US dollars the 50 stands set aside as security against loss.

However, Sayi denied the charges in his application for removal from remand saying the allegations were malicious and had been raised by those who wanted his post in the Ministry of Local Government. In any case, there was no proof, he argued.

In removing the two from remand, regional magistrate Mr Taurai Manuwere said the allegations lacked evidence to convict the accused persons, hence their removal from remand.