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Court Reporter
An accountant with the Ministry of Energy and Power Development who forged travelling and subsistence allowances will perform 315 hours of community service.
Silas Gwakwakwa (31) altered his plea of not guilty to guilty.
Harare magistrate Mr Takunda Mutetwa sentenced him to 14 months in prison, but suspended four months for five years on condition of good behaviour.
The remaining nine months were suspended on condition that he performs 315 hours of community service at Zimuto Primary School starting on June 27.
In mitigation Gwakwakwa pleaded for the court’s leniency saying he lost his job and had repaid the money.
The complainant in the matter was the Energy and Power Development Ministry represented by its internal auditor, Mr Raymond Chikota.
The prosecutor Mrs Stylon Marufu said sometime in 2009 Gwakwakwa performed duties outside Harare and was entitled to travelling and subsistence allowances.
His travel and subsistence allowances covered breakfast, lunch, dinner and accommodation. The ministry’s maximum approved bed and breakfast at hotel rate per day was $20. Unapproved meals were breakfast $3, lunch $5 and dinner $5, the court heard.
On July 20, 2009 Gwakwakwa submitted travelling and subsistence allowances purporting that he booked at Regency Hotel Chevron in Masvingo.
He claimed $500 for accommodation for five people on July 6 and 7 under a fake invoice.
Investigations by the ministry’s audit team revealed that a duplicate copy of the same invoice at the hotel had a face value of $4.
On July 28, 2010 Gwakwakwa submitted another travel and subsistence form claiming that he booked at Christmas Pass Hotel in Mutare on 16 and June 17 2010.
He claimed that he paid $190 for accommodation, breakfast, lunch and dinner. Investigation revealed that Gwakwakwa never booked at the hotel, instead he booked at Express Holiday Inn in Beitbridge. On December 28 2010 Gwakwakwa submitted another travel and subsistence form purporting that he booked at Caribbea Bay Hotel in Kariba on December 13 and 14 of the same year.
He claimed $260 but investigations revealed that he never booked at the hotel. On the same day, Gwakwakwa submitted another fake claim that he had put up at Rainbow Hotel in Bulawayo on December 15.
He also submitted that he had booked at Kingdom Hotel, Victoria Falls on December 16 and 17 2010 for $310.
The total prejudice was $803.
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