EMA Chief Aaron Chigona Released On US$300 Bail

Environmental Management Agency (EMA) director-general Aaron Chigona who was arrested on Tuesday on a criminal abuse of office charge has been granted US$300 bail by Harare Magistrate Stanford Mambanje.

Chigona was represented by Admire Rubaya of Rubaya and Chatambudza law firm.

The EMA Chief is alleged to have corruptly issued an environmental impact assessment certificate to a Harare company, Borrowdale Investments.

The alleged offence was committed in July 2021, and the matter has been remanded to February 28 for trial.

“From September to October 2021, EMA reports conducted an assessment and review of the prospects of both the stands and the Director of Environmental Protection wrote to Jin informing him that the project could not be approved as the project area was within a wetland,” said prosecutors.

The court heard Jin was further advised to appeal to Chigona if he felt aggrieved by the decision.

Jin later reached out to Chigona on November 3 2021.

Chigona allegedly instituted a site ecological re-assessment on November 30 and nine days later wrote to Jin advising him of the Agency’s decision to stand with its initial decision

On the 26th of July 2023, Chigona instructed Officers from EMA Harare Provincial Office, Armstrong Moyo and Leon Mutungamiri to come up with EIA review guidelines certifying that the area was compatible with housing development yet the area is the core of a wetland and the accused had earlier declined to grant EIAs.

“On the 2nd of August 2023, the accused inexplicably approved the proponent’s request for an EIA yet the agency had rejected it and the proponent had exhausted the agency’s appeal process.

“The EIA was in respect of the same project that he had declined to issue an EIA which he had steadfastly indicated was detrimental to the wetland,” said prosecutors.

By doing this, theState alleges, Chigona disregarded the appeal process and acted contrary to the provisions of the EMA Act.