By A Correspondent| Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, Virginia Mabhiza has been implicated in an ongoing land dispute between Augur Investments and Harare North legislator Norman Markham following revelations that she sided with one of the disputing parties Tatiana Aleshina by showing her the Lands Commission report before it was handed over to President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

This is contained in Aleshina’s opposing affidavit against a High Court challenge by Markham.

Aleshina who is of Russian origin grabbed headlines when she reported opposition MDC Alliance vice President Tendai Biti alleging that he abused her at the Harare Magistrate court.

The lands commission, chaired by Justice Uchena was appointed in 2018 to look into the sale of State land and has since handed over its findings to President Emmerson Mnangagwa who has not shared the report with the public.

Aleshina revealed that she visited Mabhiza’s office where she was shown the Uchena commission report before boasting that her boss Kenneth Raydon Sharpe and his company Augur Investments were exonerated of any improper land dealings.

“Augur Investments went on to write to the Secretary of the Land Commission Ms Virginia Mabhiza advising that the Anti-Corruption Commission had been to see us and enquiring what the issues were. Full disclosure on the land bank was made. The Commission was requested to conduct an enquiry they needed to assist 1st respondent, 2nd respondent and I to clear our names. To date they have not found any wrongdoing with Augur Investments. 1st respondent, 2nd respondent and I are not even implicated in the Uchena land commission report on illegal parcelling of state land,” said Aleshina.

Mabhiza was the Secretary of the Lands Commission.