ZETDC employee in $8 960 scandal

A ZIMBABWE Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC) cashier has appeared in court for allegedly swindling the company of cash amounting to $8 960.

The accused Similo Mabuya (40) appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Ms Sithembiso Ncube facing a charge of theft. Mabuya pleaded not guilty to 25 counts of theft and was remanded out of custody to 5 February for trial.

Prosecuting, Mr Alfonse Makonese said Mabuya stole from ZETDC between October and December 2016. He said her duties included receiving money from clients, entering it in the receipt book and banking it.

“After receiving the money she would enter it in the receipt book where she endorsed the correct amount on the customer’s copy, but went on to enter lesser amounts on the two remaining carbon copies,” Mr Makonese said.

“She received a total of $9 970 but remitted $1 064 and converted $8 960 to her own use.”

In a police statement, ZETDC sales manager Mr Newton Mutizakurima said in December 2016 they picked an anomaly on a receipt where it was discovered that Mabuya had entered the correct amount on the customer’s copy but entered a different amount on two duplicate copies which were retained in the book.

“Internal investigations were done engaging various customers which led to the discovery of 25 similar cases. Mabuya endorsed lesser amounts on the duplicate copies and went on to bank lesser amounts than those received from clients,” he said.