Harare Mayor Mafume found guilty of lying to commission, fined

HARARE – Harare mayor Jacob Mafume was on Tuesday convicted and handed a wholly suspended sentence for lying about his residential address when he appeared recently before the Commission of Inquiry into Harare’s administrative affairs.

The Justice Maphios Cheda-led Commission found the Citizens Coalition for Change councillor guilty of lying under oath.

While under questioning by the commission recently, Mafume claimed he was temporarily residing at number 110 Coronation Road in Greendale, Harare.

He had told commissioners he moved out of his private family home in Belvedere to allow renovations on the property which he is turning into student accommodation.

However, when commissioners visited the said address, they found an undeveloped business property belonging to one Peter Pfukwa. The address is being used as a vehicle auction site.

The commission found Mafume guilty of breaching Section 13 of the Commissions of Inquiry Act following the misleading information.

He was sentenced to pay a fine of US$300 or serve three months of imprisonment with labour.

The sentence was wholly suspended on the condition that he does not commit the same offence again within the next five years.

Said Justice Cheda: “The commission imposes the following sentence on you. That you Mr Jacob Mafume you are sentenced to pay a fine of $300 or three months in prison with labour which is wholly suspended for five years on condition that during that period you are not convicted of contravening sections 13 or 14 of the Commissions of Inquiry Act which upon conviction and sentence, you are sentenced to a period of imprisonment not exceeding US$300 or three months imprisonment.”

In mitigation, Mafume had proffered his “heartfelt apologies to the commission for the misleading information”.

He prayed for a reprimand instead which he said will serve the justice of the case.

Mafume said he is a “lawyer of good standing”, a family man with two children, and has served the city for a considerable amount of years as both councillor and mayor.

He also said he owned two vehicles, a property which he co-owns with his wife.

In pronouncing sentence, the commission said it had taken his mitigation into consideration.

Zimlive