Debt collector converts clients money

Beny Zingwe (38), of Number 8 Twit Road, Famona and employed by Kinnal Investments situated at 3 Wordsworth Place, Barham Green as a debt collector, was arrested after a client who engaged the services of the debt collecting company phoned its debtor last week inquiring about the money.
Zingwe allegedly committed the offence between July and November last year, where he would enter less figures in company documents purporting the debtor would have not paid in full.
Kimmal Investments specialised in trade and private investment and debt collection.
As a debt collector, Zingwe was supposed to collect payments and hand over to the company secretary after completing receipts.
He was supposed to complete receipts in duplicate but would however, allegedly remove the carbon paper and enter the correct amount received on the top copy of the receipt.
Zingwe would then allegedly put a receipt on top of the duplicate copies and enter less figures on other copies as if the customer would have paid less.
Zingwe pleaded guilty to theft of trust property when he appeared before Mr Shepherd Mjanja sitting at the Bulawayo magistrates’ court on Friday.
He told the court he desperately needed the money and used it to pay for his mother’s medical bills.
Zingwe was remanded in custody to today for sentence.
The State alleges that between July and November last year, Zingwe hatched a plan to steal cash from his employer.
On 5 July he collected $1 000 but receipted only $600 and converted $400 to his own use.
Early in September he collected $1 175 but allegedly stole $475 and on 14 September he allegedly squandered $2 000                                        he had collected from a debtor.
On two other occasions between October and November Zingwe allegedly stole $1 000 after collecting $2 500 from clients.
Zingwe ran out luck in November when a Bulawayo company, Fuel Supplies Service Station phoned its debtor, By-Pass Service Station in Hwange inquiring about its debt.
The money had, however, already been collected by Zingwe through Kinnal Investments.
Zingwe had collected $2 020 but only remitted $1 500.                                                             By-Pass Service Station also paid $500 using Real Time Gross Settlement but Zingwe allegedly spent all of it.
The matter was reported to the police and after investigations, Zingwe was arrested leading to the recovery of several receipts, deposit slips and RTGS with different amounts of money.
Mr Admire Chikwayi prosecuted.