adminAuxilia Katongomara Court Reporter
TWO Tsholotsho Rural District Council employees connived with a Bulawayo car dealer to fleece the local authority of $32,000, a court heard yesterday. Jericho Moyo, 48, the manager for Campfire Tsholotsho, Martin Framer Ndlovu, 50, the rural district council’s finance officer and Kennias Msipa Zangari, 60, a Bulawayo businessman who is the director of D.A.P Diesel Injection and Electrical Services, appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Rosemary Dube charged with fraud.
They all entered “not guilty” pleas.
Prosecutor Jeremiah Mutsindikwa told the court that at a Tsholotsho District Campfire meeting held on December 18, 2009, at the Tsholotsho Rural District Hall, councillors from 10 districts resolved that the RDC should purchase two Land Cruiser vehicles for the Tsholotsho RDC Campfire.
“After the meeting, Moyo and Ndlovu allegedly hatched a plan to defraud the RDC of its funds. On January 12, 2010, Zangari raised a fictitious invoice from his company purporting that he had two Toyota Land Cruisers for sale to Tsholotsho RDC valued at $26,000 each,” Mutsindikwa told the court.
The court heard that Zangari then handed over the fictitious invoice to Moyo, Ndlovu and Sam Muleya who has since been acquitted of the charge. The invoice was used by Moyo and Ndlovu to influence the release of $56,000 from the Tsholotsho RDC’s CBZ account in Bulawayo.
On January 14, Moyo and Ndlovu as well as the Campfire chairperson, Bernard Moyo, withdrew $56,000 and proceeded to Zangari’s office where the chairperson was introduced to Zangari as the car dealer who sold Tsholotsho RDC the two Toyota Land Cruisers, it is alleged.
A day after the withdrawal, Zangari proceeded to Cox’s Car Sales in Bulawayo and bought a 1990 Toyota Land Cruiser for $11,000 on behalf of the Tsholotsho RDC.
On January 19, Zangari went to Tikays Car Sales in Bulawayo and bought a 1993 Toyota Land Cruiser model for $13,000.
“Zangari proceeded and delivered the two used trucks to Tsholotsho RDC,” said Mutsindikwa.
Both trucks cost $24,000 and the trio shared the balance of $32,000, prejudicing the Tsholotsho RDC, it is further alleged.
The prosecutor said Moyo and Ndlovu purchased the vehicles without following the council’s laid down procedures for procurement of council assets in a bid to defraud their employer.
The alleged fraud came to light after the council ran into trouble with the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority in connection with the vehicles.
Former Tsholotsho MDC senator, Believe Gaule, who is cited as the complainant, called in the police.
In their defence, Moyo and Ndlovu said there were no tender procurement procedures to be followed at the time of the alleged crime.
Judgment is expected on July 22.
Online Reporter