BY DESMOND CHINGARANDE A HARARE regional magistrate has granted bail to ex-Cabinet minister Ignatius Chombo, who was arrested recently on one count of fraud and six counts of criminal abuse of office after he allegedly directed several housing co-operatives around the country to deposit money into his personal bank account. Chombo was released on the same bail conditions imposed when he first appeared in court in 2017. These include $5 000 bail money, surrender of title deeds of his Marlborough property as surety, residing at the given Harare address and reporting once every fortnight to the police. The case was remanded to March 12. Chombo was represented by Lovemore Madhuku, Tungamirai Muganhiri and Munyaradzi Bwanya. The former Local Government minister is being accused of swindling the State after he directed several housing co-operatives to deposit money and rates into his personal Agribank Bank account after promising them stands on State land. Allegations against Chombo are that between 2000 and 2015, he illegally caused desperate land seekers to deposit money into his bank account for land development purposes. It is alleged Chombo misrepresented to beneficiaries that if they contributed the money, he would allocate them stands at several farms in and around Harare. The State was represented by Charles Muchemwa. Follow Desmond on Twitter @DChingarande1
