Bribe offer backfires for city woman

A 42-YEAR-OLD woman had bribe money and phone confiscated by the State after she tried to induce a Zimbabwe Schools Examination Council (Zimsec) official into certifying her forged Ordinary Level and Advanced Level certificates.

Annamercy Geregere (42) appeared before Harare magistrate Mr Gideon Ruvetsa, charged with bribery and was convicted on her own plea of guilty.

Mr Ruvetsa slapped her with a wholly suspended 12-month prison sentence on condition she does not commit a similar offence in the next five years.

The State confiscated the $1 300 and phone she offered the Zimsec official as inducement.

The court heard that on April 13, Geregere went to Zimsec offices in Harare and asked to see Eve Dhliwayo, who is a supervisor at the public examination body.

Geregere subsequently handed Dhliwayo a letter which she purported to be from her uncle. The letter was actually offering $1 300 and a Nokia phone to Dhliwayo for her to confirm the fake certificates as original.

Dhliwayo then reported the matter to her supervisor, a Mr Dzinotyewei and a police report was made.

Detectives, who posed as Zimsec workers, then laid a trap for Geregere.

She was apprehended as she tried to hand over the money and phone to Dhliwayo.