Machaya takes bail bid to High Court

FORMER Midlands Provincial Affairs Minister Jason Kokerai Machaya who has been in remand prison since Christmas eve, yesterday made an application for bail with the High Court.

Machaya who is facing charges of abuse of office was arrested on Thursday last week before he appeared before a Gokwe magistrate Ms Sithabile Zungula who denied him bail.

Machaya’s lawyer, Mr Hillary Garikayi of Garikayi and Company said they have since approached the High Court seeking bail for their client.

“We have approached the High Court, but there are some papers which we were are still sorting out. Once we are done, we will present our argument before the High Court,” he said.

The State’s case against the former minister is that during the period 2011 and 2017, Machaya used his official powers to acquire 1 000 residential stands in Mapfungautsi under Gokwe Town Council.

This, according to the State is contrary to Government policy, which allows the Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing to acquire just 10 percent of the total stands as per requirement of the Commonage Law.

As a result, Gokwe Town Council lost revenue in respect of the 700 stands.

The court heard that Machaya further imposed a land developer known as Striations World Marketing Property Developers to service and sell the stands without following tender procedures.