News / National
Kagonye hit with 6 corruption charges, granted $30,000 bail
09 Feb 2021 at 09:59hrs | Views
Former labour minister Petronella Kagonye was freed on bail Tuesday after she was charged with four counts of fraud, one of theft and one of criminal abuse of office as a public officer.
The 43-year-old Kagonye, who was arrested on Sunday, was not asked to plead before she was freed on Z$30,000 bail by magistrate Stanford Mbanje following a brief court appearance.
The National Prosecuting Authority did not oppose bail.
Prosecutor Michael Reza said the Investigating Officer Gilbert Nanyore is convinced that Kagonye is not a flight risk.
"The state is not opposed to bail. The accused is breastfeeding a seven-month-old baby and the child cannot be punished for the alleged misdeeds of the mother. It's only human that we do so," said Reza.
The magisrate upheld the suggestion by the state.
Reza suggested that Kagonye pays Z$30,000 bail, continue residing at her Goromonzi farm, surrenders her passport and not to interfere with witnesses.
On the first count, the complainant is Vaduku Housing Cooperative represented by its secretary Zvanezuro Ngonidzashe.
It is alleged that sometime in February 2014, Kagonye approached the cooperative and informed them that she owned a piece of land at Solomio Farm yet it belonged to ZB bank.
"She went on to tell the cooperative members that she had offered them the land for residential stands," charged Reza.
Kagonye then informed members to pay US$10 per square metre.
It is alleged that during the same period Kagonye received US$20,000 from Porte Rodgers, the chairperson of the cooperative.
On June 12, 2014, she received a further US$14,000 through a bank transfer to her company Glorious Real Estates and another US$4,500 in June 2015.
The cooperative suffered total prejudice of US$38,500.
It was further alleged that between June 2018 and July last year, Kagonye wrote to then information communication technology minister Supa Mandiwanzira requesting computers to donate to schools in Goromonzi South.
On June 20, 2018, Mandiwanzira wrote to the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (POTRAZ) requesting a facilitation of the donations through the government's e-learning project.
POTRAZ donated the computers to Kagonye which were collected by her brother Evans Kagonye on her behalf, and he signed the collection form.
POTRAZ made a follow up on the donation with Kagonye's brother and constituency officer but up to date the computers cannot be accounted for.
Kagonye also allegedly fleeced Shingiriro Housing cooperative US$48,500 and a further US$148,500 received from Solomon Mujuru Housing Cooperative after selling them another piece of land belonging to ZB bank.
Kagonye, it is further alleged, then connived with Nyangui Housing Trust and defrauded Ruwa residents of US$40,000 after misrepresenting that she owned Cloverdale Farm in Goromonzi.
On the criminal abuse of office charge, Kagonye allegedly allocated Alderly farm to her son, Ishmael Kagonye, who was a minor at the time in contravention of government policy.
She will be back in court on March 30, 2020.
The 43-year-old Kagonye, who was arrested on Sunday, was not asked to plead before she was freed on Z$30,000 bail by magistrate Stanford Mbanje following a brief court appearance.
The National Prosecuting Authority did not oppose bail.
Prosecutor Michael Reza said the Investigating Officer Gilbert Nanyore is convinced that Kagonye is not a flight risk.
"The state is not opposed to bail. The accused is breastfeeding a seven-month-old baby and the child cannot be punished for the alleged misdeeds of the mother. It's only human that we do so," said Reza.
The magisrate upheld the suggestion by the state.
Reza suggested that Kagonye pays Z$30,000 bail, continue residing at her Goromonzi farm, surrenders her passport and not to interfere with witnesses.
On the first count, the complainant is Vaduku Housing Cooperative represented by its secretary Zvanezuro Ngonidzashe.
It is alleged that sometime in February 2014, Kagonye approached the cooperative and informed them that she owned a piece of land at Solomio Farm yet it belonged to ZB bank.
"She went on to tell the cooperative members that she had offered them the land for residential stands," charged Reza.
Kagonye then informed members to pay US$10 per square metre.
It is alleged that during the same period Kagonye received US$20,000 from Porte Rodgers, the chairperson of the cooperative.
On June 12, 2014, she received a further US$14,000 through a bank transfer to her company Glorious Real Estates and another US$4,500 in June 2015.
The cooperative suffered total prejudice of US$38,500.
It was further alleged that between June 2018 and July last year, Kagonye wrote to then information communication technology minister Supa Mandiwanzira requesting computers to donate to schools in Goromonzi South.
On June 20, 2018, Mandiwanzira wrote to the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (POTRAZ) requesting a facilitation of the donations through the government's e-learning project.
POTRAZ donated the computers to Kagonye which were collected by her brother Evans Kagonye on her behalf, and he signed the collection form.
POTRAZ made a follow up on the donation with Kagonye's brother and constituency officer but up to date the computers cannot be accounted for.
Kagonye also allegedly fleeced Shingiriro Housing cooperative US$48,500 and a further US$148,500 received from Solomon Mujuru Housing Cooperative after selling them another piece of land belonging to ZB bank.
Kagonye, it is further alleged, then connived with Nyangui Housing Trust and defrauded Ruwa residents of US$40,000 after misrepresenting that she owned Cloverdale Farm in Goromonzi.
On the criminal abuse of office charge, Kagonye allegedly allocated Alderly farm to her son, Ishmael Kagonye, who was a minor at the time in contravention of government policy.
She will be back in court on March 30, 2020.
Source - zimlive
