Man up for US$35 000 fraud

facing fraud charges.
Weston Chigariro, who was employed as a runner at Customs Services Private Limited connived with Tawanda Zawe who has since appeared in court and stole US$35 234 paid as duty by clients.
Customs Services (PVT) Ltd is a freight clearing company operating a duty account with Zimra. Zimra deducts charges on goods the company clears.
Chigariro was not asked to plead to fraud charges when he appeared before Harare magistrate Mr Shane Kubonera. He was remanded to July 18 on US$300 bail.
Prosecutor Ms Vernancia Mtake alleged that sometime between January and April this year, Chigariro and Zawe hatched a plan to defraud the company. It is the State’s case that Chigariro received clearance documents from Zawe and processed the clearance on the pretext Customs Services (PVT) Ltd was clearing goods through the duty account.
It is alleged Chigariro on several occasions received cash from clients and shared it with Zawe and would make it appear as if Customs Services would have done the clearance. The court heard that on January 10, Chigariro cleared goods worth US$2 405 for Datnet Technologies.
On April 29, he reportedly cleared goods for Gaya Enterprises worth US$26 114. On all the transactions, Chigariro made the clearances using the company’s duty account without its knowledge.
On noticing the payments made from their account, the company’s human resources manager, Mr Amos Makani approached Zimra and obtained documentation for their transactions.
They discovered that Chigariro had been clearing goods without their consent, it is alleged.
A police report was made leading to the duo’s arrest.