Bindura RDC engineer jailed for $10 000 fraud

A BINDURA Rural District Council engineer was slapped with a 24-month jail term after being convicted of 16 counts of fraud involving $9 840.

Tendai Kanyonganise of No. 2, Manhenga Location, Bindura, will serve 15 months after four months were suspended for five years on condition that he does not commit any offence involving dishonesty.

The other five months were suspended on condition that Kanyonganise restitutes Bindura Rural District Council $9 840 through the Clerk of Court at Bindura Magistrates’ Court on or before May 15, 2018.

The court heard that he committed the offences between September 2016 and March 2017. Prosecuting, Mr Clement Kuwanda said on February 23, 2016 and September 13, 2016, Bindura Rural District Council procured 1 326 bags of cement from Farmfert Hardware in Bindura under the Zimbabwe National Roads Administration Fund.

The cement was left at Farmfert Hardware in the custody of Paradzai Mhuri, a director of the hardware.

Mr Kuwanda said on September 8, 2016, Kanyonganise phoned Mhuri and misrepresented to him that he had been authorised by his employer to collect bags of cement worth $1 000 from Farmfert Hardware. Using the same method he collected bags worth $500 on October 6, 2016, $500 on October 7, 2016, $1 500 on October 13, 2016, $500 on October 18, 2016, $500 on November 3, 2016, $500 on November 9, 2016, $1 400 on November 25, 2016, $1 300 on December 8, 2016 and $500 on December 9, 2016.