FORMER Minister of State for Mashonaland Central Province, Advocate Martin Dinha is being investigated by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) on allegations of criminal abuse of office during his tenure as Bindura’s executive mayor between 2004 and 2008.
In a letter seen by The Herald date stamped August 5, 2019 to Bindura Municipality signed by ZACC investigations manager Mr Lovemore Findi, the commission said they are “investigating various allegations of criminal abuse of duty as a public officer as defined in Section 174 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, Chapter 9:23”.
Some of the allegations levelled against Adv Dinha include selling Kingstone Farm to former Cabinet minister Cde Nicholas Goche.
Cde Goche is alleged to have initially sold the same farm to Bindura Municipality. Reads the letter in part; “The then Executive Mayor, Advocate Martin Dinha bought a council house in March 2008 after council had passed a resolution cancelling the sale of council houses in low-density suburbs.
“The said house was sold without going to tender nor advertised in terms of the law. The then mayor converted a grinding mill donated to Bindura Town Council by a Mazowe resident in 2004 to his own use. “In 2008, Adv Martin Dinha, Japhet Kabanga and the District Administrator, sold Kingstone Farm back to former Minister Goche who had initially sold it to council in 2004. The sale had no council resolution.”
Adv Dinha, who was recently appointed National Railways of Zimbabwe board chairman, confirmed the probe but quickly refuted the allegations. He said it was the work of his “political enemies” in Mashonaland Central.
More to follow…
