Online Reporter
Yeukai Karengezeka-Chisepo
Court Correspondent
A FORMER paymaster with the Salary Service Bureau under the Public Service Commission has appeared in court on allegations of fraudulently inflating his salary and for 26 other employees without authorisation.
Brighton Chiuzingo (59), who served in the post between 2010 and 2021, was arraigned before Harare magistrate Ms Ruth Moyo yesterday.
He is facing fraud charges and was remanded to a later date pending finalisation of investigations.
The complainant is the Public Service Commission, represented by its Secretary, Sibusisiwe Zembe.
Prosecutor Mr Takudzwa Jambawu alleged that in 2018, Chiuzingo manipulated the Government payroll system and unlawfully increased his remuneration, along with that of 26 payroll and pensions administrators, without the approval of the Commission’s Secretary.
The irregularities came to light in November 2018 when then PSC general manager Mr Clemence Chiweshenga noticed anomalies while reviewing payslips.
A subsequent internal audit, conducted by Chief Internal Auditor Owden Nhimura on December 4, 2018, uncovered the alleged manipulation of the payroll system.
According to the State, the fraudulent activities resulted in a loss of US$39 903 to the PSC and no recoveries have been made to date.
