Zanu PF Epworth South Legislator Accused of Defrauding the Epworth Local Board US$47 000 in Commercial stand deal
Zanu PF Epworth South Legislator Accused of Defrauding the Epworth Local Board US$47 000 in botched Commercial stand deal
…MP claims “ED gave me the Land”.
Zanu PF Epworth South legislator Mbofana Mutana Taedzwa (pictured in red jacket) stands accused of defrauding the Epworth Local Board of more than US$47 000 in a botched commercial stand deal after reneging on paying the debt,
threatening council officials of unspecified action, and boldly claiming that President Mngangagwa gave him the land as a token of appreciation “for
the hardwork he is doing for the ruling party in the Epworth community”.
Documents at hand shows that the legislator entered into an agreement with the Epworth Local Board to procure two commercial stands, number 3656 and 3659 in
Ward 4, measuring 6000 square meters at a value price of US$52 757, to set up a funeral parlor, and agreed to settle
the debt in instalments after making an initial payment of US$4 600.
However, to the Epworth Local Board chagrin, the MP is now declining to pay the balance for the commercial stanďs. He has allegedly resorted to threatening council officials, and name dropping President Mngangagwa name arguing that he gave him the land for free under the Presidential title deeds programme as a sign of appreciation for the “hardwork he is doing for the party in Epworth”.
Documents in possession of this publication on the agreement of sale between the policymaker and the Epworth Local Board reveal that the MP only paid US$4 600 out of the agreed US$52 757,00 for the two commercial stands.
The agreement was entered into in 2016 after Taedzwa approached the local board intending to purchase a commercial stand to set up a funeral parlor.
Epworth was in dire need of a mortuary as many residents were forced to seek funeral services in Harare. Taking advantage of the situation, Taedzwa persuaded council and government officials to allocate him the stands so as to address the anormally.
He is now allegedly arguing that after establishing such a necessity which had successfully addressed the absence of funeral services in the area, President Mngangagwa saw it prudent to donate the land to him for free.
Sources who spoke on condition of anonymity
exposed the legislator’s abuse of office and blatant corruption saying that any council official who made a follow up on the issue is threatened with unspecified action.
Police have also been roped in with council officials being arrested on trumped up charges after pursuing the MP for payment. This has resulted in local council officials giving up on the collection of the debt.
”One councilor who took up the issue during a full council meeting was set up and arrested on arson charges. Even though he was later acquitted of the charges, he incurred costs of engaging legal representation. This was a huge inconvenience which affected him both emotionally and financially.
”Council officials now fear victimization if they raise this issue, which is now a cause for concern for the community,” said the senior Epworth council official who refused not to be named.
When contacted for comment Taedzwa denied the allegations saying he paid for the commercial stand in full. He accused council officials of trying to tarnish his image as he claimed “he was doing more development than the Local Authority in the community”.
”This is politicking. I paid for this stand in full and I have all the receipts with me. The Epworth Local Board is just jealous of the developmental projects I am doing for the community which are more upgraded than theirs,” Taedzwa said.
”This is all malice and efforts to drag me down so I don’t continue with my brilliant works which are developing the area.”
When asked to produce the receipts of the payment as proof, Taedzwa refused saying he was “entitled to his own privacy and no one had a right to see his personal and private documents”.
”The receipts of payments for this stand is my personal stuff and no one has a right to see them unless if I so wish,”said Taedzwa.
