Council director resigns after arrest

Rusape Town Council Housing director Lawrence Mushayabasa, who is on trial for criminal abuse of office, has resigned from his post after being suspended  following his arrest.

In a resignation letter tendered to the town secretary Solomon Gabaza, Mushayabasa said he was leaving his post with a "heavy heart".

"It is with a very heavy heart that I have made this decision to give a three (3) months notice to resign from Rusape Town Council, with effect from today 22 January 2018," he wrote.

Mushayabasa is out on bail in a case he is jointly charged with former Rusape secretary and current Mutare City Town Clerk Joshua Maligwa.

The duo are alleged to have abused office by demarcating and selling stands on land that did not belong to Rusape Town Council.

Sources claim that Mushayabasa resigned because of the tense working relationship with his current boss Gabaza.

Gabaza assumed the post in October 2017 after leading the local authority in an acting capacity from the time Maligwa left in April, 2017.

Gabaza has been with Rusape council for the past seven years during which he held key positions such as administration officer, treasurer and acting town secretary.

He is believed to have been behind the arrest of the duo by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission.

Mushayabasa was bitter over the decision to suspend him before the case is finalised at the courts.

He was handed a letter of suspension on January 15 with a litany of allegations backdating from 2013 including those for which he is under trial for.

"I was working under constant intimidation and it's not ideal anymore," Mushayabasa said.

He said he was on several occasions made to sign warnings that he was leaking council information something he deeply disputes.

"All advice from my office was no longer being taken into consideration and this compromised my duties as the housing director," he said.