HARARE Mayor Jacob Mafume on Tuesday escaped with a suspended sentence after being found guilty of lying under oath, thereby misleading the Commission of Inquiry with a false testimony.
The Commission of Inquiry, chaired by retired Justice Maphios Cheda, found Mafume guilty of intentionally lying about his residence.
Earlier this month, Mafume embarrassingly misled the Commission by providing an incorrect address in Greendale, which he claimed to be his residence.
When the Commission arrived at 110 Coronation Road, they found an undeveloped property belonging to Peter Pfukwa, who runs a vehicle auction business.
Mafume admitted before the Commission of Inquiry that he had lied under oath.
"Indeed that is what happened. It was an error on my part. I did not do that knowingly. I had recently moved into the premises. The Commission must note that the street is the same. The area is in Greendale. My error was in the numbers," said Mafume.
The Commission of Inquiry's evidence leader, Tapiwa Godzi, submitted that Mafume had taken the Commission for a ride by misleading it.
Retired Justice Cheda invoked Section 13 of the Commission of Inquiry Act, sentencing Mafume to pay a fine of US$300 or face three months' imprisonment. However, the sentence was suspended on the condition that Mafume does not commit a similar offence within the next five years.
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Harare mayor Jacob Mafume has been found guilty of breaching Section 13 of the Commissions of Inquiry Act for lying under oath while appearing before a Commission of Inquiry.He has been sentenced to pay a fine of $300 or serve 3 months of imprisonment with hard labour, the... pic.twitter.com/WK43RYWr0O-- NewZimbabwe.com (@NewZimbabweCom) February 18, 2025
"You have been found guilty of contravening Section 13 of the Commission of Inquiry Act. You gave evidence which you knew was false. In assessing a suitable take into account what you have submitted in mitigation.
"Jacob Mafume, you are sentenced to pay a fine of US$300 or three months in prison which is wholly suspended for five years on condition that during that period you are not convicted of contravening section 13 or 14 of the Act," said Cheda.
Mafume is the second council official to have been found guilty of contravening the Commission of Inquiry Act after Takudzwa Dzumbunu was detained last year for being evasive before the Commission.
