CHINHOYI — A 48-year-old Banket headman who bribed Provincial Affairs minister for Mashonaland West Faber Chidarikire to allow a white farmer to illegally farm on a piece of land in Banket, was this week spared a custodial sentence after a local magistrate slapped him with a $2 000 fine and a wholly suspended two-year jail term.

Own Correspondent

Headman Musarurwa Chiguvare of Cambria Farm, Banket, appeared before regional magistrate Never Katiyo on Monday facing bribery charges as defined in section 170 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act Chapter 9;23. However, Forrester, who had also been arrested over similar charges was acquitted at the close of the State case for lack of evidence. The court heard that between October 29 and 31 this year at the Government Complex Chiguvare approached Chidarikire at his Chinhoyi Government Complex offices and offered him $5 500 as inducement or reward to influence the committee to allow Rolf Forrester to use land situated at the farm without official allocation.

Chidarikire is the chairperson of the provincial lands committee.

In passing sentence, provincial magistrate Never Katiyo took a swipe at Chidarikire whom he said “seemingly encouraged the accused by initially accepting two instalments of $4 000 and $1 000 respectively.

“It still remains a mystery why it took the third occasion for the accused to be apprehended and why a mere headman could have the guts to approach the minister,” Katiyo said.

The magistrate said it was very clear that Chiguvare was “being used as a pawn as the money involved was too large” for his status.

“The accused was used as a front because he seemed to have access to the minister,” Katiyo said and ordered that the $5 500 that had been paid to the minister be forfeited to the State.

Lucky Dube prosecuted.