Online Reporter
Danisa Masuku
THE owner of Bulawayo’s Foundation College is locked in a heated courtroom battle with his own accountant after accusing her of pocketing nearly US$3 000 from the school coffers.
Tustsirayi Pfidze (50), who has worked at the institution for years, appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Jeconia Prince Ncube this week facing a theft charge. The long-serving accountant is represented by lawyer Dixton Abraham and has pleaded not guilty.
According to the defence, Pfidze insists she never stole a cent. Through her lawyer, she told the court that on the day in question she collected a total of US$15 826 from the cashiers and immediately handed the full amount to college owner Message Ncube. She claims Ncube then handed the money back to her a few minutes later.
She said she locked the cash in a safe in her office, only to get the shock of her life the following Monday. When she counted the money before taking it for banking, she discovered that US$2 950 had vanished.
Her lawyer told the court that Pfidze immediately went to Ncube to report the missing cash and tried to explain possible ways it could have gone missing. However, she claims the college boss did not want to hear it. Instead, he accused her of betraying his trust after years of working well together.
The defence went further, pointing the finger back at Ncube. They argued that since Pfidze had left the safe and its contents in his care for a few minutes, he should be considered the prime suspect.
But Ncube flatly denied the suggestion. “How can I steal my own money? She is the one who kept it,” he told the court.
The State’s version of events paints a very different picture. Prosecutors allege that on 10 January this year, Pfidze collected US$15 826 from the cashiers and kept it in her office safe. When she checked the money the following Monday, US$2 950 was gone.
She then informed her employer, leading to the matter being reported to the police and her subsequent arrest.
The trial is now set to determine whether the missing cash was the result of theft, negligence, or something more suspicious.
