HARARE – The mayor of the City of Harare Hebert Gomba appeared in court Thursday charged with corruption over the allocation of housing stands.

His lawyer Lovemore Madhuku filed a complaint against the police before magistrate Bianca Makwande.

“The accused was arrested by over 20 police officers who did not identify themselves except for one. He was interrogated for over four hours in the absence of his lawyers,” Madhuku said.

The magistrate also express dismay with the police for bringing Gomba to court in the afternoon, well knowing that the court closes at 3PM.

“We believe all was done to make sure that accused spends the night in remand prison because they know they have a weak case against him,” Madhuku told court.

Gomba was not asked to plead to a charge of criminal abuse of office.

Prosecutor Jonathan Murombedzi opposed bail, and the hearing was adjourned to Friday for continuation of bail hearing after Makwande stopped proceedings citing the new Covid-19 curfew regulations.

“My hands are tied because of the lockdown regulations and I cannot hear the matter today,” said Makwande.

Prosecutors say Gomba, working in cahoots with others, fraudulently altered an approved layout plan belonging to Youths in Business Housing Trust.

The mayor and his unnamed accomplices allegedly converted State land into council land and then allocated it to Taringana Housing Scheme, with the same plan number that was allocated to Youths in Business Trust.

It is said, Gomba, in his capacity as the ceremonial mayor, originated a memorandum dated February 18, 2020 saying the plan for Taringana Housing Scheme had been approved and council should survey the said piece of land.

The court heard that the letter was misleading and inaccurate since the same plan had been issued and approved by the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works to the Youths in Business Housing Scheme.

Plans to proceed with the piece of land in question had been set aside by the Town Clerk, but Gomba disregarded such advice, it is alleged.

The State alleges that Gomba acted beyond his powers as a ceremonial mayor.

The Environmental Management Agency (EMA) inspected the piece of land and noted that 40 percent of it was a wetland and recommended that the part be left out.

Gomba allegedly went on to demarcate the wetland, in violation of the EMA recommendation. His actions were said to have shown favour to Taringana Housing Trust and disfavour to Youths in Business Housing Scheme.

Harare’s housing director Addmore Nhekairo, his human resources counterpart Matthew Marara and several other officials have also been arrested in connection with the case.