Harare mayor Jacob Mafume has been fined US$300 for lying under oath when he appeared before a commission of inquiry investigating governance issues at Town House since 2017.
Recently, the commission of inquiry, led by its chairperson Justice Maphios Cheda, conducted an inspection in loco at a property on Coronation Road in Greendale, Harare, which Mafume had claimed to be his residence.
However, the inspection revealed that the property at 110 Coronation Road was a vehicle auction site, contradicting the mayor’s statements.
Justice Cheda instructed him to provide an explanation emphasising that the commission sought to establish the truth about his address.
Mafume claimed his home was just two blocks away from the auction site, but Justice Cheda indicated that he was wasting time as the commission only wanted to prove he had lied about his address.
Justice Cheda said Mafume misled the commission by giving false evidence on his residence because he drove every day, allowing him to clear the issue.
Mafume apologised to the commission and said he would take full responsibility.
“Yes, my Lord, I take full responsibility for my actions, and I would like to extend my apologies, my heartfelt apologies to the commission for the misleading information. I have indeed given the rest of my evidence to the commission,” he said.
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“This is the only time that the commission has found an issue with my evidence. Meaning that for this commission, I am a first offender. I would, if it pleases my Lord, that a reprimand would be sufficient for this issue.”
Justice Cheda fined Mafume US$300 or faced three months imprisonment.
“In light of that, the commission will impose the following sentence on you: Mr. Jacob Mafume, you are sentenced to pay a fine of US$ 00 or three months' imprisonment, which is wholly suspended for five years, on the condition that during that period, you are not going to be convicted of contravening Section 13 or 14 of the Commission's Inquiry Act,” he said.
“But you should understand that you are not generally a liar, and you lied in these circumstances, and I am not saying that you are generally a liar or a compulsive liar.
“The embarrassment which has engulfed you from the time you sat down and heard about this matter, the media spreading bad news to you, that is enough punishment.”
He said it was clear Mafume gave evidence in a very clear, concise manner and was very helpful to the commission.
“This might have come as a second thought after I told you it needed to be moved somehow, but the truth does not extend to the House,” he said.
