The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission has arrested Member of Parliament for Chiredzi South, Joel Sithole, on charges of abuse of duty after he allegedly misappropriated over ZWG 1.2 million of the Constituency Development Fund (CDF).
Sithole allegedly received a ZWG 1,234,150.00 (equivalent to USD 50,000) CDF disbursement from the Parliament of Zimbabwe in August 2025.
The funds were intended for development projects that included the construction of a classroom block and roofing of staff houses at Gwaseche Primary School and Makanani Clinic.
After receiving the funds, Sithole, who serves as the Chairperson of the CDF committee and is a signatory to its bank account, allegedly diverted the money.
Investigations established that Sithole, acting in common purpose with one Edson Chauke, who is still at large, transferred ZWG 850,000 from the CDF account to a local wholesaler for the purchase of groceries.
He reportedly also spent ZWG 418,516.00 at grocery shops, hotels, and beer outlets.
To conceal the alleged misappropriation, Sithole later purchased 100 bags of cement and a few roofing sheets for a different school to create the impression that project work had commenced.
He is expected to appear at Masvingo Magistrates Court tomorrow, 26 March, 2026.
