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Prosper Dembedza Court Correspondent
National Museums and Monuments of Zimbabwe’s executive director Godfrey Mahachi and his deputy Darlington Munyikwa yesterday appeared in court on allegations of allocating themselves fuel from the organisation without approval from the board or Ministry of Home Affairs.

Mahachi (59) and Munyikwa (52) appeared before Harare Provincial magistrate Mrs Vongai Muchuchuti Guwurira on criminal abuse of office charges and were granted $100 bail each.

As part of their bail condition, the duo was ordered to surrender their passports to the clerk of court and to continue residing at their given addresses.

It is alleged that sometime in June 2013, the institution received a circular D20/ 8 dated 21/ 06/ 2013 from the secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs.

The court heard that the circular highlighted monthly allocations of fuel for business and personal use as follows — minister 800 litres, permanent secretary 600 litres and director 400 litres.

The circular applied to all departments in the Ministry of Home Affairs, except the Zimbabwe Republic Police.

In accordance with the circular, Mahachi and Munyikwa received a monthly allocation of fuel for business and personal use amounting 560 litres and 500 litres respectively, and also received additional allocations for specific trips.

The institution’s pool vehicle received a weekly allocation of 20 litres.

Prosecutor Mr Sebastian Mutizirwa further told the court that despite the ministerial directive from early 2013 up to the end of December 2018, the duo connived to unlawfully and intentionally allocate themselves an extra 40 litres for “executive errands”, which was contrary to and inconsistent with their duties as public officers.

The court heard that they withdrew this fuel from the institution for family use without it being approved by the board or Ministry of Home Affairs.