State drop fraud charges against MDC-T MP

Bulawayo Member of Parliament for Pumula, Albert Mhlanga who was arrested for allegedly abusing Constituency Development Fund (CDF) is now a free man.

The state on Thursday withdrew the charges.

Said his lawyer, Liberty Mcijo from Lazarus and Sarif, "Mhlanga is a free man. All the charges against him have been withdrawn by the state before plea."

Mhlanga, a former Bulawayo Deputy Mayor was nabbed on 2 March by officials from the Anti-Corruption Commission and detained at Donning Police Station.

 He appeared in court and granted a $400 bail.

Mhlanga was charged with two counts of criminal abuse of power and office.

On the first count, the legislator allegedly failed to account for US$7 680.

Anti-Corruption Commission officials said on the second charge, Mhlanga showed favour in the transfer of funds into Bulawayo Plumbers account a company he owns.

He reportedly transferred $32 000 into his company account claiming that the firm had supplied goods when it had not.

Mhlanga reportedly also transferred a further US$9 000 into Alex Company's bank account.

Investigations also showed he transferred another US$2 000 to his friend's company, Silver Sharp

Mhlanga was among four MPs arrested over CDF. Other are  Marvellous Khumalo (MDC-T, St Mary's), Franco Ndambakuwa (Zanu PF, Magunje) and Cleopas Machacha (MDC-T, Kariba).

Last week Attorney General Johannes Tomana issued an order to stop the anti-graft body from arresting MPs accused of converting the $50 000 CDF allocations to their own use pending investigations.

He claimed the move became necessary because the ZACC and the Ministry of Constitutional and Parliamentary Affairs were handling the matter in a "clumsy way."