Church funds land man behind bars

Runhare was last Friday brought to the Harare Magistrates’ Courts facing 58 counts of theft.
He was not asked to plead when he appeared before Harare regional magistrate Mr William Bhila and was remanded in custody to December 28.

The complainant in the matter is East Zimbabwe Conference of the Seventh Day Adventist Church represented by its chief accountant Mr Simbarashe Muzamindo.
It is the State case that Runhare was employed as the church Treasurer before he resigned in September 2010.
His duties included receiving, safeguarding and disbursing church funds in harmony with the executive committee.

He was also mandated to provide financial information to the president of the church and the executive committee as well as leadership to church conferences.
It is alleged that between January 21 and April 24 2009, Runhare received US$41 200 and ZAR15 000 but only surrendered US$15 000 and ZAR15 000 to Zimbabwe Union Conference in Bulawayo.
He allegedly pocketed US$25 500

The State further alleges that during the period extending from January 7, 2009 and August 23, 2010 Runhare signed for several vouchers for business trip cash advances.
He then stole US$17 107, 55 and ZAR4 250,50.

Runhare is also accused of awarding himself cash advances totalling US$38 294, 50 and ZAR55 030 from between January 7, 2009 and September 10, 2010.
Runhare never paid back the cash advances although the church policy stipulates that employees were not allowed to withdraw salary advances beyond the equivalence of one-month salary unless approved by the executive committee.

External auditors from the General Conference Auditing Service discovered the offence during an annual audit. Investigations lead to Runhare’s arrest.