Former Minister Machaya completes jail term

GWERU – Former Midlands Provincial Affairs Minister Jaison Machaya is now a free man.
Machaya was released from prison this month after he completed his 30 months jail sentence. He
was convicted of criminal abuse of office.
The Zimbabwe Prison and Correctional Services (ZPCS) Officer Commanding Midlands province
Commissioner Somemore Gate dismissed rumours that Machaya was a beneficiary of the
Presidential Amnesty.
“Yes, Machaya is now out. He completed his term. He actually served his term,” said Comm. Gate.
A Presidential Clemency Order Number 1 of 2023 was gazetted on May 12, resulting in the release of
4 270 inmates across the country after the meticulous process of verifying potential beneficiaries.
Machaya and former Midlands physical planner Chaisayanyerwa Chibururu were in September 2020
sentenced to four years in prison after they were found guilty of abuse of office involving the sale of
state land in Gokwe.
Gwanda Provincial Magistrate Charity Maphosa however, suspended 18 months on condition the
two do not commit a similar crime in two years.
Machaya was facing charges of allocating 17 799 residential and commercial stands to land
developers. The developers in turn gave Machaya 1 791 stands and he sold 1 185.
Machaya was also charged with allocating 192 stands to the Apostolic Christian Church of Zimbabwe
(ACCZ) when he did not have the authority to do so.