Online Reporter
Zvikomborero Parafini
LEADING pharmaceutical firm, Varichem Pharmaceuticals, lost over US$347 000 to an employee, a Harare court has heard.
Milton Goremusandu was not asked to plead when he appeared before Harare magistrate Marewanazvo Gofa charged with theft of trust property and money laundering.
He was remanded in custody to today for his bail ruling after the State opposed bail on the basis that he is a flight risk.
Prosecutor Rufaro Chonzi led evidence from the investigating officer, Tedious Shenjere, who told the court that upon hearing that his accomplice had been arrested, Goremusandu fled to South Africa, which makes him an unsuitable candidate for bail.
The court heard that Goremusandu was employed as the firm’s Credit Controller and his duties included collection of cash from company debtors and cash sale customers and receipting the cash received from clients.
The court heard that at the beginning of this month, the firm’s finance manager, Joel Muswa, received a tip-off from a whistle blower that Goremusandu and his subordinate Edwell Sibanda, the Debtor’s Clerk, were acting in cohorts and stealing cash from the company.
Muswa acted on the tip-off and instituted a preliminary investigation.
He found out that for the period between 2021 and May 2025, Goremusandu collected cash from the following company customers — US$252 930.25 from Trinity Pharmacy, US$36 350.34 from Vidamac Pharmaceuticals, US$33 220.12 from Asca Health Care and US$24 829.28 from Care Point Pharmacy Chinhoyi.
However, he did not bank it and neither did he submit it for banking.
The State alleged Goremusandu would instruct Sibanda to initiate journal entries, debiting customers who do not owe the company and crediting the paying customers, as a cover-up of the offence.
The two allegedly duped the company of US$347 329.
Sibanda was arrested at work on May 14.On May 18, the police went to Goremusandu’s house and managed to recover a Toyota Fortuner, estimated at US$60,000, and a Toyota Corolla.
The two cars are registered in Goremusandu’s name and were acquired during the period of commission of the offences.
They were recovered from his wife Miranda Rutendo Mativenga.
