Harare — The Labour Court in Harare has heard stunning allegations of corruption against Mashonaland Central Governor and Resident Minister Martin Dinha that have stalked him from the time he was the executive mayor of Bindura, a position he relinquished following his appointment last year.

Former Bindura Town Clerk Paison Mugogo, who was fired from his job in March last year for alleged incompetence among a host of other charges, approached the court seeking his dismissal's nullification on grounds that it had been done to cover-up Dinha's alleged misdemeanors which include abuse of council funds and council property and "illicit affairs" that brought the municipality's name into disrepute.

The court recently passed a verdict directing that Mugogo be reinstated, but the Bindura Municipality has since challenged the judgment.

Supporting its case, the municipality attached a report in which Dinha made counter allegations against Mugogo of corruption and nepotism among others.

In his main application, the Town Clerk dismissed allegations against him as a product of what he termed a "grim and unhappy relationship" with Dinha.

"The problems were arising from certain misdemeanors that were being committed by the executive mayor. In particular, I highlight the following: He abused the travel and subsistence allowance system... He made unorthodox promotions against my advice and he put persons who did not have requisite qualifications as preferred by the local government board: for example one Mr Mauchi to acting director of housing; one Mr Masawi to acting chamber secretary, one Mr Zvareva to acting town engineer," charged the sacked Town Clerk.

"The executive mayor purchased three stands, which were given to his associates and these were not paid for."

He said Dinha also withdrew travelling subsistence funds for alleged Urban Councils Association of Zimbabwe meetings, but did not attend the said indabas.

The governor was also accused of threatening council employees who knew about the abuse of council assets such as fuel, asbestos sheets and grinding mills.

Mugogo who is being represented by Harare lawyer Kay Ncube said his problems with Dinha worsened when he hired out Chipadze Stadium to Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai for a Movement for Democratic Change rally in the run-up to last year's March 29 general elections. Before hiring out the stadium, the dismissed Town Clerk said he had consulted Dinha who directed him to an unnamed acting provincial governor who cleared him saying the SADC Protocol and Constitutional Amendment 18 required that all political parties be given an equal opportunity when campaigning.

Asked to comment on the allegations against Dinha, Bindura Municipality lawyer Simbarashe Machiridza said: "The matter is pending before the court. "The allegations against the governor are not relevant to the charges he is facing and we are not in a position to comment whether they are false or true."

However, the municipality attached to court papers a report of a committee of inquiry that found Mugogo guilty of misconduct.

The papers say Dinha appeared before the inquiry team and accused Mugogo of nepotism as he had employed his son Jefferson.

The former Town Clerk is also said to have made un-authourised investments and payments such as school fees for his grandchildren.

"The executive mayor (Dinha) informed the committee that the Town Clerk had on various occasions raised abusive, rude and arrogant communication to stakeholders and councillors. A memo: A1/0025 dated March 7 2008 to councillor I. Gadaga was quoted as one such communication," reads part of the committee's report.

"The executive mayor informed the committee that the Audit Committee through full council resolution 1386/c/07-151/AC/07 dated November 5 2007 required the Town Clerk to recover a cellphone line from his son but nothing was done as the Town Clerk was protecting his son".