Corruption accused Local Govt director Mlindeli Sayi set to bounce back amid abuse of office charges

Harare – SUSPENDED acting director of Statelands in the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works, Mlindeli Sayi is set to inexcilably bounce back to his position with dirty hands, Express Mail Zim can report.

Sayi is facing allegations of corruptly authorising the sale of 50 housing stands in the Northen surbubs of Harare, prejudicing the State of close to USD 800million.

What transpired is that the ministry entered into a Triptrate Agreement with Sally Mugabe Heights and a local land developer to acquire the stands that should have beens sold for $789 241 676,50, but instead, only $1 193 000 was paid, causing an actual prejudice to the State of $788 048 676,50.

He had his day in court facing corruption charges and the matter is still pending and he was not cleared.

Sources told Express Mail Zim that his post was advertised and one of the prequisites was that any aspiring candidate with a criminal matter behind the courts was not eligible.

“The first round of the interviews was held on February 28 and shockingly ,Sayi was one of the candidates who participated vying for the substantive state lands director position despite of his inegibility after a year-long suspension on criminal abuse of office,” said our impeccable source who preffered anonymity.

Adding:

“He faces three counts abuse of office charges. He was arrested in February 2023 by Zimbabwe Anti-corruption Commission officers and he is currently on bail pending trial for the corruption case.”

According to court records, in one of the cases, Sayi sold some low density stands in Borrowdale area of Carrick Creagh worth USD $1.2 million and in October 2022 he corruptly authorised them to be receipted in Zimbabwean dollars without using the interbank rate.

In that instance, the State was predijuced of USD $1.2 million dollars in revenue from the shady deal.

An anonymous source at the ministry’s head office, told Express Mail Zim that Sayi was pampering senior human resources officials with gifts such as cars and cash using his loot.

This claim was also given credence by a complaint letter authored by a civic organisation called Concerned Citizenry Harare Chapter who also added (in their letter) that sums amounting to at least USD6000 per head exchanged hands within top guns in the Human Resources Department.

A legal expert said no government ministry is a legal authority and has no powers or jurisdiction to clear anyone arrested by ZACC and under trial by the courts.

“It is “subjudicata” to rule on matters before bar. That is before the courts .

” Anyone who did that should also be arrested.
” What they should simply do is to conduct their internal disciplinary hearings and whatever the outcomes they should withhold the findings
and await final court ruling,” said the retired Judicials Services Commision .

Such cases are said to be prevalent within the State Lands and Planning departments.

It emerged that several individuals were arrested on corruption cases involving abuse of State Land but they still reported for normal duty while their matters were sub judice.

“It is because of shady land deals that the individuals will corrupt the kangaroo courts of the ministry that will clear them of whatever charges.

“A case in point is that of the provincial planner for Mashonaland west Fungai Munyama, he was arrested by ZACC in 2021 for misappropriating Mutare Teachers’ college land and was found guilty of the charges and was sentenced by the courts.

“Amazingly , the same ministry cleared him of all the charges in internal disciplinary hearings and he is still attending work,” revealed our source.

The Second Republic under President Mnangagwa has made a clear position of eradicating land barons.

Minister Winston Chitando who is a newcomer in the ministry after moving from Mines and Mining Development ministry, has also complemented government efforts and employed a heavy hand since his take-over.

However, some senior ‘bad apples’ have managed to circumvent his tight systems through using junior employees as proxies.

Given his high performance both in the corporate world and Mines mìnistry, Chitando has displayed tactics on how to combat corruption and hold to account those implicated in corrupt practices.

In that light, the actions of individuals like Sayi and Munyama undermine public trust in government institutions and perpetuate a culture of impunity.

It is therefore imperative that all those involved in corrupt practices are held accountable, regardless of their position or influence or association to bigwigs.

Incessant efforts to get hold Sayi hit snag the whole week until the time of writing.