Anesu Kurebwaseka Mutare Correspondent
A Ministry of Lands and Rural Resettlement official Clemence Kubora (37) has appeared before Mutare magistrate Mr Innocent Bepura facing charges of criminal abuse of duty as a public officer as defined in Section 174 (1)(a) of the Criminal Law Codification Act chapter 09:23. He pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Prosecutor Mr Fletcher Karombe told the court that on an unknown date between January 2017 and August 2017, Kubora unlawfully allocated stand number 356 Nyatsine Rural Service Centre, Mutare, after demanding $125 from Simbarashe Shumba. This was contrary and inconsistent with his duties as a public officer. This resulted in Shumba illegally occupying the land without the required documents, which in this case was a lease agreement that should be between the occupier and Ministry of Lands and Rural Resettlement head office. On his second count, Kubora was facing the same charge for unlawfully allocating stand number 355 Nyatsine Rural Service Centre to Alec Marume after demanding $100.