Johannes Chin’ombe
GWERU – Sometime in 2018, the then Acting Town Clerk also currently acting on the same position currently after the suspension of Elizabeth Gwatipedza; Vakai Chikwekwe attested to the fact that Kudzanai terminus had been sold to private investors who wished to turn the iconic terminus measuring 1, 8141 hectors into a shopping mall.
The developments were however never mentioned the day council entered a deal a USD6 million deal with Bentach Logistics and Cassas properties to which Chikwekwe was part of the presidium.
The development is also taking part to the same piece of land that council had announced to have been sold at a whooping $120 million deal in 2003 according to official documents in possession of CommuTalk.
Investigations carried by this publication however reveal that the deal that had been entered between council and the supposed investor, C. B Richard Ellis (Pvt) Ltd had no proof of payment to show that the $120 million transactions was done and the only proof to show for the deal was a Memorandum of Agreement of Sale.
The City was then represented by James Bwerazuva and Godferey Nhemachena as Mayor and Town Clerk for the time being while C. B Richard Ellis Developments was represented by Justin Dowa.
The Ministry of Local Governance land audit for the City of Gweru however revealed that if the deal had transparently sailed through, it was a no deal since the local authority had not sought authority from the Ministry.
The audit also discredited the deal on absence of a proof of payment to show that the said investor had paid for the land in question.
“Before proceeding with the sale of the reserved stand, the Council should seek the Minister’s authority to change use of the stand as required by the law.
“The council should cause the alleged purchaser to prove payment for the stand…failure to which the Memorandum of Agreement of Sale will be null and void,” reads part of the audit report.
The audit report further reveals that the signatories representing council at the time the deal was signed both deny a hand in the agreement.
“Audit visited the former Town Clerk and Executive Mayor to establish whether they ever entered into an agreement with the investor…they both confessed that the agreement was signed without their knowledge on May 23 2003,” further reads the report.
The same Ministerial report concluded the deal ‘null and void’ on suspicions that underhand dealings were at play being the reason why an alleged agreement of sale had resurfaced 16 years after the alleged sale.
