Wenslus Murape
Zvikomborero Parafini
ZIMBABWE National Water Authority was reportedly duped of US$45 250 and ZWL$94 000 000 within a period of six months by the chief executive’s personal assistant.
Mercy Tsitsi Ndiweni 42, was not asked to plead when she appeared before regional magistrate Marewanazvo Gofa over the weekend.
ZINWA is being represented by Engineer Waddilove Mandiziba, who is its Director Water Supply Services and Rural Development.
Ndiweni as the CEO’s personal assistant was mandated to oversee all administrative issues in the office of the Chief Executive Officer including making requisitions for payments on behalf of ZINWA for services offered to its staff.
It is the State’s case that between March 6-21, Ndiweni allegedly raised and generated Purchase Orders purporting that they were for Executive accommodation and she processed them herself.
After processing the purchase orders, she generated fake proforma Invoices in the names of Baxley Bnb vacation rental in Hillside, Bulawayo, and The Residence in Masvingo both of which are in the business of offering accommodation services.
After processing fake profoma Invoices, Ndiweni allegedly generated expenditure vouchers which she sent for authorization of payment and they were processed purporting to be payment to Baxely BB and The Residence.
She allegedly facilitated the payments misrepresenting that they were for accommodation services offered to the chief executive officer and other senior staff members yet she was aware that the payments were being deposited into her personal accounts.
With the intention to defraud ZINWA, Ndiweni allegedly endorsed her two bank accounts as the recipients.
On August 21 it was noticed during an audit that there were discrepancies on the expenditure schedule and it was discovered that Ndiweni had facilitated a payment of US$6750 to The Residence for accommodation for the CEO and an engineer yet the two were in Mutare.
Further investigations revealed that she made 19 transactions with a cumulative value of
US$48 650 and ZWL$ 94 000 000, which were made by Ndiweni which were not authorized and she converted the money to her own use leading to her arrest.
Online Reporter