Africa-Press – Zimbabwe. The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) has confirmed receiving a complaint against a top City of Harare official for issuing a temporary permit to a Methodist Church in violation of a High Court order.
The complaint was lodged on November 12, 2025 by Kantor & Immerman Legal Practitioners on behalf of Borrowdale residents.
In a letter addressed to the ZACC Executive Secretary, the law firm alleges that Acting Director of Urban Planning, Mr Mugocha, issued a temporary permit to the United Methodist Church Borrowdale on June 9, 2025.
This is despite the church having failed to comply with conditions set out in a previous 2017 Town Planning Permit which had already lapsed in 2019.
According to the lawyers, the permit was issued three days after the High Court handed down a judgment ordering the church not to conduct services on the property situated at Number 9 Doveton Road, Borrowdale, without fulfilling requirements from the Director of Health and the Chief Fire Officer.
The lawyers argued that the permit was processed and approved on the same day the church allegedly applied for it, raising eyebrows.
Kantor & Immerman indicated that the Acting Director’s conduct undermined the High Court ruling and constituted criminal abuse of duty as defined under Section 174 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act.
The lawyers further alleged that the church had not met any of the conditions attached to the 2017 Town Planning Permit and had never applied for an extension, resulting in the permit lapsing by operation of law.
ZACC spokesperson, Simiso Mlevu, confirmed that the Commission has received the complaint.
“Yes, we can confirm that the complaint has been received and the matter is now under preliminary assessment,” Mlevu said.
The law firm copied the complaint to the Town Clerk of Harare requesting internal action against the official.
Several residents cited in the High Court proceedings have been disputing the church’s activities since 2016, citing noise, congestion and failure to produce valid operating licences.
The High Court judgment found that the church had continued operating without the required approvals and granted an interdict barring services until proper licences were obtained.
The court noted that the 2017 Town Planning Permit did not constitute permission to operate and that additional conditions from the Director of Health and the Chief Fire Officer were mandatory.
City of Harare officials did not respond to requests for comment.
ZACC is expected to determine whether a full investigation will follow after completing its preliminary assessment.
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