Maravi

(ZIMPAPERS ZW) Three months’ jail for MDC-T official

Three months’ jail for MDC-T official
Sunday, 13 January 2013 00:00
Noah Pito in Hurungwe

An MDC-T councillor in Karoi has been sentenced to three months in prison for flagrantly ignoring a court order to repay a land-seeker whom he had swindled out of more than US$300. Karoi magistrate Mr Obidience Matare slapped Ward 6 Councillor Jackson Mbonga with the jail term a fortnight ago.

According to court records, some time in March 2011, Mr Evans Mubaiwa of Chikangwe Township asked Mbonga (38) to help him acquire a residential stand. Mbonga then told him the available stand cost US$410. Mr Mubaiwa subsequently gave the councillor part-payment of US$300 on June 27 2011.

The Ward 6 representative promised to deposit the money at the Karoi Town Council office and submit the receipts to the housing director who would finally provide the stand number.

Mbonga, however, suddenly became evasive, avoiding Mr Mubaiwa for a year. The property-seeker reported the matter to the police, who promptly arrested Mbonga.

The then Karoi resident magistrate, Mr Archibald Dingana, convicted the councillor of fraud, but suspended a three-month prison term on condition that he restituted the US$300 by August 31 2012.

Mbonga ignored the order, resulting in his arrest and latest sentencing.

Labels: JACKSON MBONGA, LAND REFORM, LAND RIGHTS, MDC CORRUPTION

posted by MrK @ 6:21 PM