HARARE – Corruption-accused Harare mayor Jacob Mafume was denied bail on Monday after a court ruled that he was likely to interfere with witnesses.

Mafume was arrested on November 25 accused of leaning on council officials while he was still an ordinary councillor back in March to allocate a housing stand to his sister. He denies the charges.

Deputy Chief Magistrate Bianca Makwande twice postponed the bail ruling which she finally delivered on Monday, but not without drama.

In the middle of reading her verdict, she said she was missing a page and sent a police officer to go and look for it from her vehicle.

“Although it was established that four witnesses had their statements recorded, it was also said there are other things that need to be verified from a witness, Plaxedes Koke. It will be in the best interest of justice to allow police to complete their investigations without interference,” Makwande ruled.

The prosecution relied on the testimony of investigating officer Superintendent Joseph Sirimhindi who testified during the bail hearing that Mafume “holds the highest office at City of Harare and he is likely to interfere with witnesses there.”

Tonderai Batasara, for Mafume, argued that most of the state witnesses are suspended, and in any event none of them reported to the mayor who has no executive role.

Prosecutors say between March 1 and 30 this year, Mafume approached Admire Nhekairo, the City of Harare’s housing director, requesting him to allocate housing stands to his sister Rotina Mafume and Rutendo Muguti, a colleague.

The local authority had already closed interviews, and Mafume was turned down.

It is alleged that Mafume then took the two to principal housing officer Edgar Dzehonye and consequently two Westlea housing stands measuring 600 square meters were issued to the pair although their names were not on the housing list.

Nhekairo, who was arrested in July and charged with criminal abuse of office for allegedly parcelling out land to police officers and a prosecutor without following procedures, is the complainant in the Mafume case.

Nhekairo is a state witness along with Dzehonye, Plaxedes Koke and Petronella Chimhanga.