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TWO Grain Marketing Board employees were arrested for allegedly conniving to defraud their employer over $44 000 by not banking collected cash and using counterfeit banks stamps to fake banking transactions. They appeared in court last week. The two, Mark Shayamunda (46) employed as Rusape depot assistant manager and Farai Muchena (32) a machine operator are alleged to have contravened Section 136 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, Chapter 9.23 which criminalises fraud.
Shayamunda is represented by Mr Tendai Bvuma of Bvuma and Associates and is denying the charges, while Muchena is represented by Mr Tawanda Garai of Chigadza and Associates and pleaded not guilty.
State prosecutor, Mr Thomas Tumbare told the court that the two connived to deliberately omit recording transactions relating to various sums of money amounting to $44 760 received from clerks for banking into the GMB account.
“Shayamunda’s duties among others involved receiving cash from clerks from daily takings at the depot at the closure of business, sign for it before locking it in the safe for safekeeping overnight. On the following day, Shayamunda would assign someone to take the money together with completed deposit slips to the bank, but he remains accountable for the deposits. The assigned person would count the money, take it to the bank for banking and thereafter surrender the stamped deposit slips to clerks back at the depot for record purpose and filing.
“From the period extending from May 2014 to March 2015, Shayamunda received various sums of money from clerks, Netsai Gunha and Chiedza Mafume for banking into GMB main account, 8700231518600 at Standard Chartered Bank.
“Upon receiving the money, instead of banking it, Shayamunda connived with Muchena and converted the money to their own use.
“To cover up for their theft, the two deliberately omitted recording the transactions relating to the period in question in the Daily Banking Register and also used a fake Standard Chartered Bank date stamp to stamp the deposit slips so that they purport as is the money was banked. Muchena thereafter took the stamped deposits slips to either Netsai Gunha or Chiedza Mafume clerks for filing. The offence came to light on July 28, 2015 when bank reconciliations were carried out at GMB Head Office which led to their arrest,” he said.
Provincial magistrate, Mr Shingi Mutiro, adjourned the matter to March 31 for sentence.
Online Reporter