The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) has arrested Chiredzi Town Council’s acting town secretary, Consider Kubiku, over allegations of criminal abuse of office.
Kubiku, 47, is accused of sidestepping established council recruitment procedures by creating managerial positions and promoting employees who allegedly did not meet the required qualifications. Investigators say these actions undermined proper administration within the local authority.
In a statement, ZACC alleged that Kubiku ignored council hiring regulations to facilitate the irregular appointments and promotions, resulting in prejudice to the effective governance of the council.
He has since been released on bail and is scheduled to appear in court again on 13 August 2026.
The charges fall under Section 174 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act [Chapter 9:23], which deals with criminal abuse of duty by a public officer.
The law makes it an offence for a public official to intentionally act contrary to their official duties—or deliberately fail to carry out those duties—in order to unfairly benefit or disadvantage another person.
A conviction under this provision carries a maximum penalty of a Level 13 fine, imprisonment for up to 15 years, or both. However, the legislation does not prescribe a mandatory minimum sentence, leaving the appropriate penalty to the court’s discretion.
In practice, courts consider factors such as the extent of the prejudice caused, whether there was any personal benefit, and the overall circumstances of the offence when determining sentence.
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