Councillor sues Harare council

By Helen Kadirire

Harare councillor Wilton Janjazi is demanding that the city reimburse him more than $12 000 in legal fees he accrued when he was fighting fraud accusations he has since been cleared of.

Janjazi was last year suspended by council after he was allegedly involved in the awarding of a tender to Energy Resources African Consortium (Erac) for the refurbishment of Firle sewer treatment works.

In a letter he wrote to Town House, Janjazi said since he had been cleared by the tribunal set up to investigate the matter, Harare City Council (HCC) was obligated to reimburse him his money.

“Up to May 2, 2018 when the Tribunal came out with its ruling, I had already paid the lawyers $5 700 as shown by the copy of receipts. Amounts due to the lawyers and yet to be paid is $6 858 as shown on the bill from the lawyers. Total amount claimed is $12 558.

“Please note that most of the money claimed is for the tribunal proceedings as those for the court proceedings are yet to come once the High Court closed the case,” read part of the Janjazi’s claim.

Janjazi, together with councillors Paula Macharangwanda and Urayayi Mangwiro went before a tribunal led by Advocate Thabani Mpofu on allegations of flouting tender procedures and prejudicing council of $1,9 million.

However, the tribunal ruled that the councillors cannot be charged for the omissions or negligence of management in the tender process.

“The effect of these findings is that the three councillors are not guilty as charged. They are entitled to retain their seats in council,” read the findings. DailyNews