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Yeukai Karengezeka Court Correspondent
TWO Zimbabwe National Road Administration (Zinara) revenue clerks yesterday appeared in court for allegedly installing a boom override system illegally and collecting money for their personal use.
Tariro Mhuka (26) and Henderson Msowa (39) appeared before Harare regional magistrate Mrs Marehwanazvo Gofa facing fraud charges.
They were granted US$200 bail each and remanded to November 30.
Zinara is the complainant, represented by its risk and loss control manager, Mr Tawanda Marenga.
The two were operating from Zinara’s Eskbank Tollgate along the Harare-Bindura highway.
Some of their duties included collection of revenue from the motoring public and remitting the collected revenue to the senior revenue clerk at the close of business.
Prosecuting, Mr Pardon Dziva alleged that on July 18, the two connived to steal from Zinara using a 10-10 Technologies (Private) Limited information system.
The company, 10-10 Technologies, is the system provider for Zinara.
Mhuka and Msowa were allegedly working together with other Zinara employees, who have since been arrested and arraigned before the court.
Others are still at large.
It is understood that after the installation of the illegal system that would bypass the normal operating system, the suspects collectively received tolling funds from the motoring public, purporting that the funds would be channelled to Zinara, when in fact they would convert the funds to their own use.
The court heard on July 20, the Zinara risk and loss control department discovered the offence through CCTV footage, prompting them to report the matter to the police.
Investigations were instituted and it was established that the boom override installations were fitted without the knowledge and consent of Zinara and also without the knowledge of 10-10 Technologies.
On July 26, a team from CID Commercial Crimes went to 10-10 Technologies and they confirmed that they had not authorised the installation of the boom override system at the Eskbank Tollgate.
The State also has CCTV footage showing Mhuka and Msowa committing the crime.
Zinara is yet to establish the total prejudice, and so far, nothing has been recovered.
Online Reporter