HARARE’S acting mayor Charity Bango has said council will forge ahead and repossess properties from Local Government Minister Ignatius Chombo and former Harare commission chairperson Sekesai Makwavarara which they are alleged to have corruptly acquired.

Chombo is said to own 20 hectares of land in Borrowdale, among other properties some of which are registered in the name of some of his companies.

On the other hand, the Harare city council says Makwavarara acquired a council house in Highlands in violation of council regulations following a ministerial directive issued by Chombo.

In 2008, the late Harare Town Clerk Nomutsa Chideya was prosecuted for corruption for selling the house to Makwavarara, but he told the magistrates court that he was opposed to the deal and it only went through as a result of Chombo's directive. Chideya died, before the conclusion of the case.

"We are going ahead. We are in the process of implementing the special report's recommendations on the matter," said the acting mayor.

The report that was complied by a special council committee that was headed by Mount Pleasant councillor Worship Dumba said the properties would be repossessed.

On Thursday, police national spokesperson Wayne Bvudzijena said police are now investigating businessman Phillip Chiyangwa's acquisition of council land following fraud charges that were filed by council against him on Monday.

In its special report, the special council committee said it had “noted that there was no Council approval for all land acquired by Mr Phillip Chiyangwa and companies associated with him ... noted with concern that properties acquired by Mr. Phillip Chiyangwa or his companies have already been issued title deeds without proper paper work that regularises land transfers. Furthermore, Council procedures were not followed."

On Chombo the report said: "Contrary to Council policy that an individual must not get more than one residential property from the Council, the Minister acquired vast tracts of land within Greater Harare and registered them in companies associated with him.

“It remains disturbing to note that the Minister (Dr Chombo) would identify pieces of land in the City, influence Council officials to apply to him (Chombo) for Change of land use, and then sit over the same applications and approve the changes.

“He would then write to Council officials asking to buy the same stands and obviously get them. Land reserved for recreational activities would end up having Title Deeds in his company’s name.”