SDC deputy chair in $90k theft storm

DEPUTY chairperson of the school development committee at Nhamburiko Primary School in Harare has appeared in court for allegedly embezzling more than $90 000.

Marjory Zingoni appeared before Harare magistrate Mrs Rumbidzai Mugwagwa facing theft of trust property charges and was remanded to March 15 on $200 bail.

The prosecutor Ms Audrey Chogumaira alleged that during the period extending from January 2015 to October 2016, Zingoni worked together with the then headmaster Philemon Alufayi and Saul Tore, the chairperson of the school development committee.

Alufayi, who appeared in court last month over the same offence, will also reappear on March 15, while Tore is still at large.

It is alleged that the three were signatories to the school’s CBZ Bank Account number 20057670020.

The court heard that they withdrew money from the school account which was supposed to be handed over to the school accounting assistant for payment of goods and services, but they allegedly converted it to their own use. They withdrew a total of $92 386. Ms Chogumaira said Zingoni went on to use fictitious receipts from different companies to acquit the withdrawals in order to cover up for the offence.

The offence came to light when a team of internal auditors was tasked to carry out a special audit at the school.

Ms Chogumaira alleged that during the third party verifications, some companies disowned receipts which were used by Zingoni to acquit a number of withdrawals made.

The court heard that the companies had not done any business with the school as she alleged.

Some of the companies involved were found to be non-existent.