HARARE – Former opposition MDC Harare mayor Hebert Gomba was on Tuesday hauled before a magistrate on fresh accusations of criminal abuse of office linked to the selling of council land.
He was not asked to plead and was remanded out of custody to May 26 on $20,000 bail.
According to court papers, “on a date unknown to the prosecutor but sometime in August 2019, Gomba allegedly unlawfully used his position as the mayor of Harare and offered Stand No.402 in Vainona Township for sale to Hardspec Investment represented by Mavis Madzivanzira and Pauline Gutsa.”
The stand was being used by Mt Pleasant Sports Club on a long lease that would expire in 2035.
Prosecutors told the court that Gomba gave the sports club only a limited timeframe to take up the offer, and when it failed, he sold the stand to Hardspec Investment for Z$23,923,340 although it had been quoted for US$2,3 million or local currency equivalent.
The former mayor then instructed acting Harare City Council finance director Stanley Ndemera to meet with Madzivanzira and Gutsa to show them the land in question and prepare an agreement of sale on behalf of the local authority.
He further instructed councilor Luckson Mukunguma, who was the chairperson of the finance committee, to put the matter up for discussion in a full council meeting, which approved the sale to Hardspec Investment, the court heard.
Prosecutors say the former mayor showed favour by selling the piece of land to Hardspec Investment ahead of leaser holders Mt Pleasant Sports Club, a violation of Urban Council’s Act.
Gomba has other pending corruption cases from the sale of council land after his arrest last year.
Netsai Mushayabasa appeared for the state while Garikayi Mhishi represented Gomba.
