UZ director of works, fuel attendant charged with theft

stole 49 515,79 litres of petrol and 22 065,32 litres of diesel worth over US$71 000 has appeared in court charged with theft.
James Manja (33), the director of works and Thomas Nyaganga (37), denied the charges when they appeared before Harare Magistrate Mr Lazarus Murendo.
Nyaganga in his defence argued that it was the university’s problem for failing to account for the fuel since all reports concerning fuel were made to the registrar general who is also the secretary of the university.
Nyaganga went on to argue that they were not the only ones who had access to the keys where fuel was kept.
“The registrar general instructed that everyone in the department should have access to the keys. As a result, all of us would issue out fuel,” he said.
He said the fuel pumps were old and needed to be replaced thus they were ordered to get quotations of the pumps but nothing was done.
He told the court that he was suspended on January 19 last year and after a week new pumps were bought.
Nyaganga further submitted that the authorities were laying theft allegations against them in a bid to cover up a labour case, which Nyaganga had reported against the university.
However, Nyaganga’s alleged accomplice, Manja in his defence said that he had written a letter to the Vice Chancellor and the registrar requesting for procurement of new fuel pumps as the old ones were not functioning well.
The machine was dispensing 25 litres instead of 20 litres
“When I had a year analysis of the record in the department in 2007 alone, the UZ lost a total of 54 000 litres of fuel, which was not accounted for and on the report produced in 2008, the university lost 64 000 litres of both diesel and petrol.
“I then wrote to the Vice Chancellor and registrar explaining the urgency of buying new and reliable fuel pumps but they, however, rejected arguing they had no money,” he said.
“I was suspended on July 14 last year on allegations of gross incompetence. These are manipulated accusations against me,” he said.
The duo is expected to be back in court on July 13 for continuation of trial.
Appearing for the State, Ms Patience Chimusaru, alleged that on January 26 last year, the university conducted an audit and discovered that there was fuel, which was not accounted for.
The audit revealed that between January and December 2009 a total of 130 247 liters of petrol including opening stock was received.
The court heard the total amount of petrol issued was 77 781,21 litres and the actual closing stock was shown as 2 950 litres whereas the difference between the total figure of petrol received and issued was 52 465,79 litres.
It is alleged the two could not account for 49 515,79 litres of petrol.
The audit established that 137 732 litres of diesel including opening stock was received, it is alleged.
Total diesel issued was 115 366,68 litres and the actual closing stock was shown as 300 litres, it is alleged the difference between the total received and issued was 22 365,32 litres.
It is further alleged Nyaganga and Manja failed to account for 22 065,32 litres of diesel.
A police report was made leading to the arrest of the two.