by Christopher Makaza

Harare mayor and ward 17 councillor, Jacob Mafume was yesterday re-arrested for allegedly trying to bribe Special Anti Corruption Unit (SACU) officers working on his case of abuse of office.

Mafume who is currently on bail for criminal abuse of office arising for illegally parcelling out residential stands to his sister Rotina Mafume and a secretary at his law firm, Rutendo Muvuti without following due process.

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information and Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Nick Mangwana confirmed Mafume's arrest yesterday on his Twitter handle.

Mafume’s party, the MDC-Alliance also confirmed the arrest, but said the Harare mayor was arrested at Strathaven Shopping Centre after he responded to a greeting from someone he knows.

 The party said in a statement that it was alleged Mafume interfered with a witness although he denies this. The MDC-Alliance alleges that after Mafume's remand hearing, he went to Strathaven Shopping Centre, where he was greeted by a woman he knows and when he greeted her back, plainclothes police arrested him.

Mafume was released from remand prison last week on ZWL$30 000 bail following his arrest on 25 November 2020.

In granting Mafume bail, High Court Judge Justice Benjamin Chikowero ordered him not to interfere with witnesses, to surrender his passport and to continue residing at his given residential address as part of his bail conditions, which he however breached.

In August this year, six Harare MDC-Alliance councillors were arrested for allegedly being involved in land scams as Government intensified the fight against corruption in local authorities.

Meanwhile, the MDC-Alliance-led Harare City Council has been accused of the demolition of at least 190 illegal houses in Budiriro 5 recently. The Police went on to arrest Caleb Kadye on charges of parcelling out stands on Tembwe Housing Cooperative land about 2km from Budiriro 5 Current shopping centre.

When a Harare Post reporter visited the affected families last week, they were counting their losses, while battling the rains, with women and children crying and men battling to find safe and secure places for their property. They blamed the council for conniving with land barons to fleece them their hard earned cash.