adminNhau Zvemoyo (30), of Number 3 Connaught Avenue, employed by Albie Investments, pleaded guilty to forgery and fraud before Bulawayo magistrate Mrs Learnmore Mapiye.
Twelve months of his sentence were suspended on condition that he pays full restitution by 31 October this year.
In passing sentence the magistrate noted that despite the fact that his mother wanted to withdraw the charges, the offence shows that Zvemoyo had pre-planned the offence. The court also found that he benefited from the offence since nothing was recovered.
Mr Malvern Nzombe, for the State, told the court that in August this year, Zvemoyo’s late father’s pension of $6 900 was deposited into his wife, Ms Hellen Dzenga’s POSB account.
Zvemoyo had knowledge of his mother’s bank account and the processing of his late father’s pension.
When he realised that the money had been deposited, Zvemoyo on 8 August completed a withdrawal slip for $550 and forged his mother’s signature.
He approached Mr David Chinyama, a newspaper vendor near the POSB and asked for his assistance to withdraw money after lying that he had lost his identity card.
Mr Chinyama then approached Mr Bright Mutavikwa, a bank teller who assisted him and gave him the cash, which Mr Chinyama handed over to Zvemoyo.
Between 23 and 24 August Zvemoyo using the same modus operandi withdrew $1 000 and by the time the offence was discovered he had withdrawn $4 100.
The offence came to light when his mother wanted to withdraw some money while in Rusape and she noticed that $4 100 had been withdrawn.
She then made a complaint to the bank and investigations led to Zvemoyo’s arrest but nothing was recovered.
Online Reporter