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Mash West Bureau
A Chinhoyi-based police sergeant has been arrested after going on the run for allegedly stealing $90 000.
The money was supposed to be paid to police officers who participated in the Biometric Voter Registration (BVR) programme sometime last year.
However, Lameck Karombo allegedly transferred the money into his personal account before fleeing.
He was arrested and appeared in court at Chinhoyi Magistrates’ Court last Friday.
Karombo is facing charges of theft as defined In Section 113 (1) (a) (b) of the Criminal Law Codification and Reform Act Chapter 9:23.
Karombo, who had been on the run for almost a year, was caught at a hotel in Harare where he is believed to have been holed up since committing the offence.
The State led by Mr Patson Chirambwi opposed bail on the basis that Karombo, who is facing two counts of theft, was a flight risk hence should not be freed.
Allegations are that on December 4 last year, Karombo logged into the ZRP’s paynet system using his username and captured payments totalling $90 000 in two batches.
Karombo unlawfully accessed username and passwords for two authorisers – Rangarirai Mushaurwa and Sebasteni Meki – to make payment authorisation for $60 000 and $30 000.
He allegedly transferred the money from the ZRP Mashonaland West CBZ Contingency Company Account No. 009822980790015 into his personal Agribank Account No. 110000073369.
The money was illegally transmitted through the Payment System to yet another account with the CBZ Bank.
In a bid to hide the crime, Karombo allegedly deleted the two transactions from the System Default Location to the recycle bin.
Mr Chirambwi also told the court that during the period extending from December 2017 to January 2018, Karombo transferred the money through mobile banking (ZIPIT) into bank accounts owned by money changers and received United States dollars in cash.
All the transfers he made were for his own benefit.
Online Reporter