By Correspondent
Harare Town Clerk Hosiah Chisango was this week arrested over a US$9,2 million scandal which has netted five other officials.
Chisango is accused of unprocedurally awarding a tender for street lights to Juluka Endo Joint Ventures.
Juluka is owned by the already arrested Mike Chimombe and Moses Mpofu.
However, this case isn’t the first time that Chisango has been arrested over corruption.
He has been arrested before over bigger charges and emerged a free man.
Mount Pleasant Sports Club Deal
In 2023 Chisango was arrested on charges of criminal abuse of office for selling Mount Pleasant Sports Club and golf course.
The stand was sold to Hardspec Investments for $23 923 340 while the club was quoted as worth US$2,3 million
His co-accused included former Mayor Herbert Gomba, Finance Director Stanley Ndemera and Acting Chamber Secretary Charles Kandemiri.
However together with Gomba, he was acquitted.
In acquitting Gomba and Chisango, Justice Kwenda said their involvement in the commission of the offence was minimal.
He ruled that there was no criminal liability that could be attached to them.
They had only signed the agreement of sale as a matter of policy because their assumption was that everything was done above board.
Meanwhile the other two, Kandemiri and Ndemera were found guilty and sentenced to 6 years each.
Kuwadzana Land Deals
In 2020 he was arrested again by the Special Anti-Corruption Commission Unit (SACU) in Gweru over alleged land scams.
He was arrested with the Director of Housing and Community Services Addmore Nhekairo and Town Planner Samuel Nyabezi.
Chisango was accused of unilaterally allocating 13 stands on an unserviced land in Kuwadzana, which was in breach of the law.
However, Harare Magistrate Taurai Manuwere ruled that the trio did not offend the law.
They had acted within the provisions of their duties as council officials with regards to availing of the residential stands in Kuwadzana 3.
Augur Investments Deals
While he was never arrested over it Chisango was also part of shady deals between Council and Augur Investments.
In 2008, Augur Investments controversially secured the Harare Airport Road construction contract without a tender process.
The government later canceled the contract after only completing 2.7 kilometers of the intended 20km.
However, council had already transferred 273,299 hectares of land in Borrowdale’s Pomona area to Augur Investments.
After several cases of litigation the matter was brought to an even more controversial closure involving Government.
Minister of Local Government, July Moyo oversaw an arrangement in Augur Investments was given immunity from litigation related to the disputed land.
Various Harare Councillors have tried pushing the matter to the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) but nothing has happened.
