The Sunday News
Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, Gwanda Correspondent
AN Esigodini Agricultural College accountant has been arrested for allegedly, embezzling with the assistance of a workmate, the institution’s funds amounting to US$10 640 during her term of office.
Zvineyi Mugwagwa (48) who resides at the college was not asked to plead when she appeared briefly before Gwanda magistrate, Miss Lerato Nyathi facing a charge of fraud. She was remanded out of custody to 25 July on $100 bail.
Prosecuting, Mr Silent Shoko said during the period extending from 28 October 2015 to 17 May 2016 Mugwagwa acting in common purpose with her colleague, Collen Sibanda deprived Esigodini Agricultural College of its funds by manipulating figures on the receipts using fake receipts and also updating ledger cards of students using fake information extracted from student’s receipts.
“Collen Sibanda as per his duties assigned to him by Mugwagwa collected some money that was paid by students on separate days. On the top copies of receipts he wrote names that were different from those on the duplicate copies.
“All the fake entries that were made by Sibanda were always endorsed and checked by Mugwagwa as correct. Mugwagwa then used fake details to update student’s ledger cards and entered fake receipt numbers and fake amounts. Mugwagwa converted the money to her own use. The offence was discovered by auditors while conducting their routine audit. The matter was reported to the police who carried out investigations leading to Mugwagwa’s arrest,” said Mr Shoko.
Mr Shoko said student ledger cards containing details of all the transactions could be produced in court as exhibits. He said the amount prejudiced amounted to US$10 640.
Her accomplice, Collen Sibanda appeared separately at Esigodini Magistrate’s Court.
In a related incident, Honest Khuphe (32) who was employed as an accounting assistant at the same college appeared recently before Gwanda magistrate, Miss Nyathi for allegedly converting US$560 which were payments made by students to his own use.
Khuphe allegedly received payments and went on to forge receipts. He was remanded out of custody to 25 July on $100 bail.
Prosecuting, Mr Shoko said Khuphe stole the money on three separate occasions in 2015.
He said on 16 March 2015 Khuphe received US$370 from a college student Honest Ndirowei and receipted the money without placing a carbon paper and converted it to his own use.
Mr Shoko said on 26 June 2015, Khuphe received US$10 from another student but didn’t issue her with a receipt and he converted it to his own use.
He said on 18 December 2015 Khuphe received US$180 from a student Zinhle Moyo and he receipted the money without using a carbon paper and converted the money to his own use.
The offence was discovered by auditors who were inspecting school records and the matter was reported to the police.
@DubeMatutu
