adminLetwin Mubonesi
FORGING an O-Level certificate in a bid to secure a place at a local teachers’ college backfired for a Greenside woman after she was ordered to pay a $300 fine and to restitute Government $3 031, 65.
Grace Muponda-Marufu (28) appeared before senior Mutare magistrate, Mrs Sekai Chiundura facing fraud charges.
Mr Fletcher Karombe prosecuted.
It was the State’s case that sometime in May 2014, Muponda applied to be trained as a primary school teacher at Marymount Teachers’ College using a fake O-Level certificate with seven subjects passed with Grade C or better.
“Muponda presented a fake Ordinary Level certificate in a bid to secure a place to be trained as a teacher at Marymount Teachers’ College in which she was portrayed as having passed with better symbols.
“As a result of the misrepresentation, the college offered Muponda a place to be trained as a teacher believing that she was a qualified applicant with all the needed requirements.
“During the month of December 2015, police detectives received a tip-off that Muponda was in possession of a fake O-Level certificate that she had used to enrol as a student at Marymount Teachers’ College and the certificate was sent to Zimbabwe School Examination Council Head Office for verification. However, Zimsec’s assistant chief security officer, Mr Lee Banda confirmed that Muponda had never set for “O” Level examinations at Speciss College in Harare and the allegedly candidate number Z1219/2784 on the certificate does not exist,” said Mr Karombe.
Mr Karombe also told the court that Muponda was offered a teaching practice place and she prejudiced Government of $3 031, 65 in salary payment starting from January 2015 to December 2015.
Asked to explain why she had forged the certificate, Muponda admitted that what she did was wrong as she was in the process of supplementing the subjects she had failed.
“I admitted that what I did was wrong Your Worship, I therefore beg for forgiveness,” pleaded Muponda.
Mrs Chiundura ordered her to pay a fine of $300 or serve six months behind bars in default of payment.
She was also sentenced to six months imprisonment which was wholly suspended on condition of restituting Government $3 031, 65.
“Madam, if you have the passion for teaching, you better sit for your Ordinary Level examinations just like what any other teacher do not resorting to forgery. Crime does not pay, you have to desist from that behaviour,” said Mrs Chiundura.
Online Reporter