The Sunday News
Sukulwenkosi Dube
THE Mangwe District Education Officer has dismissed allegations lodged against the former headmistress of Makuzeze Primary School by Mthwakazi Joint Youth Resolution representatives that she misappropriated school funds.
Mr Headman Mpofu said his office had conducted an audit which revealed that all funds were accounted for, contrary to allegations.
Two members of the pressure group, two SDC members and two teachers at the school are in court facing charges of insulting the headmistress, Victoria Pasipanodya in a suspected tribal conflict.
Mqondisi Moyo (35), Busani Sibindi (29), Thandolwenkosi Dube (23), Simanje Sibanda (45), Lieto Dube (34), Ntokozo Denga (35) and Temba Mvundla (56), on 8 January last year stormed the school offices and hurled insults at her ordering her to give up her post.
Testifying in court Mr Mpofu said previous heads at the school had also been ousted by community members on tribal grounds.
He said the accused persons, who were acting under the orders of the pressure group, organised an illegal meeting which they used to force the headmistress to step down.
‘‘Following the violence, which erupted at the school, my office conducted an audit of the school books and we discovered that the head did not divert any funds. The funds which were missing from the school were misused by previous SDC members,’’ said Mr Mpofu.
He said the chaos, which has been ongoing at the school over the past years, had resulted in a poor pass rate.
The accused persons, who are being represented by Mr Dumisani Dube of Cheda and Partners Legal Practitioners, insisted that Mpofu was protecting the complainant as he had an affair with her.
Mr Dube said the accused persons had a right to hold the meeting as they were key stakeholders.
He said the pressure group was responsible for paying school fees for six children learning at the school.
He said they together with the SDC members and the two teachers were concerned just because the headmistress was abusing school funds and unfairly dismissing teachers from the school.
Mr Dube denied that his clients had insulted the complainant and that their actions were tribally oriented.
He, however, said the accused persons converged on the school and held a peaceful demonstration where they demanded the removal of the headmistress.
The complainant who has now transferred to Kwite Primary School, told the court that they accused her of embezzling school funds and unfairly dismissing Ndebele speaking teachers from the school.
The demonstrators also demanded the immediate transfer of the complainant’s husband Munyaradzi, who was a teacher at the school and the deputy headmaster Robson Gotosa.
To settle the matter, the Ministry of Primary and Secondary education last year overhauled the entire staff at the school.
Pumtree magistrate, Mr Gideon Ruvetsa remanded the accused persons to Monday for continuation of trial.
Mr Stanley Chinyanganya prosecuted.
