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The school is situated in the Gomoza area in Matabeleland North Province and has an enrolment of about 200 pupils.
Matabeleland North provincial police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Siphiwe Makonese confirmed the arrest of the deputy headmaster, Maxwell Ndlovu (51).
Asst Insp Makonese said Ndlovu was in police custody facing fraud charges.
“We have arrested a deputy headmaster at Sibambene Secondary School on allegations of fraud,” she said.
Asst Insp Makonese said in March this year, Ndlovu was asked to receive Ordinary Level November examination fees from the candidates.
She said Ndlovu received $3 060 from 66 candidates and failed to deposit the money into the Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (Zimsec) Standard Bank account.
“After receiving the money, Ndlovu allegedly converted it to his personal use. The matter only came to light on 4 July when the Lupane district education officer discovered that some pupils at the school were not registered to sit for the November examination yet they had paid,” said Asst Insp Makonese.
She said it was then established that the 66 pupils had paid their registration fees, but Ndlovu had not deposited the money into the Zimsec account.
“The matter was reported to CID Lupane leading to Ndlovu’s arrest,” said Asst Insp Makonese.
Matabeleland North acting provincial education director Mr Jabulani Mpofu confirmed the incident.
He, however, said the pupils would sit for the examinations.
“The incident happened but we have since made arrangements to have the money paid and none of the registered pupils will miss the examinations,” said Mr Mpofu.
“This is one of the problems we have encountered but as we speak the person is in the hands of the police.”
In a related incident, the headmistress of Nyamandlovu Primary School, Ndagana Ngwazare of Number 3 Mimosa Drive, Sauerstown, Bulawayo has disappeared after allegedly embezzling school funds amounting to $8 883,45 and R2 110.
Asst Insp Makonese said from April 2009 to March this year, Ngwazare collected school funds and converted them to her own personal use.
“A manhunt for her has been launched as she is at large,” she said.
In another incident, Asst Insp Makonese said a former school clerk at Jotsholo Secondary School in Lupane, Esnat Ngwenya of Lobengula West, Bulawayo, misappropriated $2 094 meant for school use.
“She ran away on 4 July after the matter came to light,” said Asst Insp Makonese.
Mr Mpofu could not comment on the other two incidents.
Online Reporter