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Court Reporter—
A former Herentals College primary school headmaster was last week acquitted by a Mbare magistrate court on allegations of swindling tuition fees. Henward Chikwata (42) of Kuwadzana Extension was accused of accepting fees totalling US$1 036 from parents without issuing receipts. Resident magistrate Ms Anita Tshuma discharged Chikwata on the basis of conflicting evidence where other State witnesses vehemently denied knowledge of Chikwata having misappropriated their funds.
Prosecutor Ms Tendai Shonhai alleged that between May and October 2013, Chikwata received various amounts of money meant for tuition and transport fees from parents whose children attend the school but did not give them receipts.
The court heard that the parents trusted Chikwata and at the time never thought he allegedly converted the money to his own use.
According to the State, Chikwata made some parents to believe that all was in order when he made records of the money tendered to him on a piece of paper on which he would append his signature.
It was further alleged that Chikwata received fees at his home, sometimes at his office and at some point at the National Sports Stadium.
Further allegations were that he used his authority as the headmaster to instruct teachers not to send away children whose fees had not been paid.
Chikwata was arrested last year when he relinquished the headmaster`s post.
In his successful defence through his lawyers, Chikwata indicated that the charges that were being levelled against him were trumped up.
He said his former bosses were jealous of him after they learnt that he was opening his own college and that they were afraid of facing stiff competition from him.
Online Reporter