MILLICENT HUNGWE
Masvingo City Council Town Clerk Engineer Edward Mukaratirwa has been found not guilty and acquitted today of fraud charges and abuse of office.
Magistrate Innocent Bepura said the state failed to prove its case against Mukaratirwa and he had no choice but to acquit him of all the charges he was facing.
Mukaratirwa was accused of exploiting his position to acquire a luxury vehicle that exceeded his approved entitlement.
He allegedly opted for a Toyota Prado VX-L valued at US$251,798, instead of the approved Toyota Prado VX 3.0-liter engine, which was valued at US$109,151.
From the evidence presented in court, it showed that the requested vehicle was not in stock at Toyota, but only the Toyota Prado VX-L, as testified by the second witness, Toyota national sales representative Gift Bhingiso.
Mukaratirwa was accused of misrepresenting facts regarding a double cab Toyota D4D vehicle allocated to the engineering department. The vehicle was a donation from the African Development Bank aimed at supporting the municipal water and sanitation program.
