By Own Correspondent- Former Zimbabwe National Road Administration executive board chairman, Albert Mugabe, has appeared in court charged with criminal abuse of office involving $300 000.

Mugabe was not asked to plead when he appeared before Harare provincial magistrate Vongai Muchuchuti-Guwuriro.

He was released on $500 bail and ordered to report every Friday at ZRP Highlands. He was also ordered not to interfere with State witnesses, to surrender his travel documents and reside at his given address.

Mugabe was represented by a top Harare lawyer, Admire Rubaya.

The State led by Sabastian Mutizirwa told the court that on March 30 in 2017, ZINARA human resources committee deliberated through a round-robin resolution the acquisition of a mortgage loan from CBZ bank in respect of ZINARA CEO Nancy Chamisa Masiyiwa.

The six-member Human Resources Committee unanimously resolved to commend the ZINARA board for approval to secure a mortgage loan scheme not exceeding $300 000 for that purpose.

On April 5 that year, Mugabe wrote a letter of undertaking for the mortgage loan in respect of Masiyiwa to CBZ ill-advising that the ZINARA board had authorised her to enter a housing scheme and if her contract was to expire, the board would still pay for it.

On April 11, it is alleged that Mugabe wrote another letter to CBZ lying that the board had agreed to set off the full amount in the event that Masiyiwa accrued arrears and termination of her contract knowing full well that the board had not authorised such a decision.

The loan was later released on the belief of the false letters written by Mugabe in contrast to his duties as a public officer.

The matter was remanded to April 11.