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Court Reporter
Registrar-General Clement Masango yesterday denied any wrongdoing during his bail application before Harare regional magistrate Mrs Bianca Makwande.

Mrs Makwende granted Masango $10 000 bail plus a surety of his Borrowdale home title deeds.

Masango is facing two counts of criminal abuse of office as a public officer after he allegedly instructed CMED to buy a double cab and six single cab pick-ups without Cabinet approval and using the vehicles at his farm.

Masango, who was represented by Nembo Attorneys, said the process of buying the cars started long before he assumed duty as Registrar-General and that payments were made within 10 days of him assuming duty on September 24, 2018.

He said he found no reason to seek authority from accounting officers as CMED is mandated to procure vehicles on behalf of the Government.

Masango also denied misusing Government vehicles at his farm saying he only acquired the land in December last year.

He was not asked to plead.

Prosecutors Francisca Mukumbiri, Netsai Mushayabasa and Sheilla Mupindu argued that Masango exhibited propensity to interfere with State witnesses, as he had already threatened their key witness, the chief accountant at the Registry Office, Mr Peter Bwanya.

The State alleges that Masango instructed Bwanya not to assist Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) with documents.

“After he learnt of the investigations he called a meeting in his office where he accused Bwanya of leaking information to ZACC.

“He also instructed that no duplicate copies should be given to ZACC officials. Accused went on to confiscate a firearm from Bwanya and kept it although it is not the accused’s duty to keep the firearm,” said Mrs Mukumbiri.

She told the court that Masango failed to explore all the available options which he could have pursued for him to acquire the vehicles and that he was a flight risk.

“He had an option of seeking authority from Permanent Secretary in Home Affairs specifying reasons and justifications why he needed the cars.

“He could have written to the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Transport to seek permission on his behalf from Cabinet.

“Cabinet would then approve or turn it down.

“He had another option of going through the CMED tender procedure,” she said.

The State also said ZACC officers had to use force to apprehend Masango after he instructed an office orderly to block them from entering his office.

“If he had the audacity to do that, what more if he is granted bail?” she asked.

However, Masango said he harboured no intentions to evade trial.

He said he would have fled when he came to know of the allegations on March 3 this year if he wished to flee.

“The document which ZACC are using is a copy of a letter I wrote responding to the Permanent Secretary (of Home Affairs) after he instructed me to answer the allegations. If I wanted to escape I would have done that before lockdown,” he said.

He also denied ever threatening Bwanya telling the court that the meeting was part of their daily work routines.

“I gave him Bwanya instructions to fully comply with ZACC officers and call me whenever they require my assistance,” he said.

In her ruling magistrate Makwande said the State failed to give enough evidence to support their reasons to deny Masango bail.

Magistrate Makwande ordered Masango to deposit $10 000 bail plus the title deeds of his property in Borrowdale, Harare.

He was also ordered not to travel 40km outside Harare and barred from visiting his workplace.