ZACC Arrests Chiredzi Acting Town Secretary Over Alleged Abuse of Office
By Southerton Business Times Reporter | HARARE
The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) has arrested Chiredzi Town Council acting town secretary Consider Kubiku (47) on allegations of criminal abuse of duty as a public officer after he allegedly bypassed recruitment procedures to employ and promote unqualified staff.
Kubiku appeared in court on the charges and was granted bail. He is expected to return to court on 13 August 2026. The allegations against him have not yet been tested in court, and he is presumed innocent unless proven guilty. In a statement, ZACC alleged that Kubiku unlawfully created managerial positions and facilitated irregular promotions outside the council's established recruitment processes.
"He allegedly bypassed Council recruitment procedures to create managerial posts and facilitate irregular promotions of unqualified employees, resulting in prejudice to the good administration of the Council," ZACC said.
According to the anti-graft body, the alleged conduct compromised governance and administrative processes at the local authority.
Kubiku is facing a charge under Section 174 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act [Chapter 9:23], which criminalises abuse of office by public officials. The law provides that a public officer commits an offence if, while exercising official duties, he or she intentionally acts contrary to those duties or deliberately fails to perform them in order to show favour or disfavour to another person. A conviction under the provision carries a maximum penalty of 15 years' imprisonment, a fine of up to Level 13, or both.
However, Zimbabwean law does not prescribe a mandatory minimum sentence for the offence. The sentence imposed is determined by the court after considering the facts of each case. Legal experts note that courts generally take into account factors such as the extent of the prejudice caused, whether there was financial loss to a public institution, the level of personal benefit obtained by the accused and any aggravating or mitigating circumstances.
The arrest comes as ZACC continues to investigate allegations of corruption and abuse of office within local authorities and other public institutions. The commission has repeatedly said strengthening accountability, transparency and adherence to public sector recruitment procedures remains central to improving governance and service delivery across Zimbabwe. The matter has been postponed to 13 August 2026 for routine remand proceedings as investigations continue.
Consider Kubiku arrest
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