Six Bikita Rural District Council (RDC) directors have appeared in court over vehicles purchased by the local authority but registered in their individual names.
The six will appear before Masvingo District Judge Faray Goitema and a ruling will be delivered next week.
The accused are Arnold Mutuki (engineer), Bonface Nyromedzo (housing and planning officer), Nomatre Jizera (manager), Morgan Madura (social services director), Never Mafhuna (finance director) and Philemon Madara (internal auditor).
The six were arrested along with the late Bikita RDC CEO Peter Chibhi for breaching the Public Finance Management Act after they borrowed US$191,000 from African Century Limited to purchase high-end vehicles without government approval.
The vehicles were purchased from Faramatsi and the loan attracts interest of US$30,000 which culminates in a prejudice to the Council of US$222,000.
Section 65(1) of the Public Finance Management Act (Cap. 22:19) strictly restricts public entities from borrowing money, issuing a guarantee, indemnity or security or entering into any transaction that obligates or may obligate that entity or the Consolidated Revenue Fund to any future obligation , unless such borrowing, guarantee, compensation or other transactions are authorized by the legislation creating or governing it, as long as the applicable provisions relating to this law are complied with. Masvingo mirror
