Chronicle Editor
Michael Magoronga, Midlands Correspondent
A former ZimPost clerk based in Gokwe got himself into trouble after he failed to account for a laptop which went missing during the time he was an employee.
Moses Bafanti (40) worked as a Community Information Centre (CIC) official at ZimPost Gokwe North where he doubled up as a Post and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ) agent before he quit the jobs.
ZimPost management later discovered that a laptop was missing after he had left.
A police report was made leading to his arrest.
Bafanti appeared before a Gokwe Magistrate facing theft charges.
Gokwe Magistrate Mr Musaiona Shortgame sentenced him to 12 months in prison but suspended 6 months on condition of good behavior.
The remaining six months were also suspended on condition that Bafanti restitutes ZimPost Z$60 000 on or before February 18 this year.
Prosecuting, Mrs Getrude Shoko told the court that sometime in early 2021, a team from POTRAZ visited ZimPost Gokwe North where the accused person was working.
Bafanti was in the custody of eleven laptops but failed to account for one laptop.
On August 23, 2021 Tafadzwa Bungeni who replaced Bafanti said she had not been given the laptop when the accused person decided to quit.
“Upon further questioning on the whereabouts of the laptop, Bafanti claimed that he had sent it to Gweru for repairs before changing the statement claiming that he had not received the laptop in question,” said Mrs Shoko.
Investigations revealed that the said laptop was never sent to Gweru.
Upon his arrest and questioning by police on December 30 2021, Bafanti admitted to have stolen the laptop.
He was arraigned before the courts and was ordered to restitute ZimPost or face jail time.
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