Warrant of arrest for ex-Vungu CEO

Midlands Reporter
FORMER Vungu Chief Executive Officer, Wellington Ngulube, is on the run.
Ngulube was issued with a warrant of arrest by Gweru Provincial Magistrate Phathekile Msipa for defaulting court on Tuesday.
The fugitive former CEO was supposed to appear in court to face multiple counts of theft, fraud and criminal abuse of office.
However, he failed to turn up and, instead, sent his lawyer, Chipo Dube of Chitere, Chidawanyika Legal Practitioners who presented to the court medical documents as proof that her client was indeed ill.

Magistrate Msipa was not convinced and went on to issue a warrant of arrest against Ngulube.
The Magistrate had previously denied granting bail to Ngulube when he last appeared in court two weeks ago.
Said Msipa then:

“The accused person is one who could be tempted to flee given the gravity of the charges laid against him.”
Maxwell Hombasha, an auditor from the Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing in Harare who was scheduled to testify against Ngulube was excused by the court due to the accused’s absence.

It is the State’s case that from January 2012 and June 2013, Ngulube, who was the then CEO of Vungu Rural District Council, allegedly defrauded the council of about $15,000.

Prosecuting, Andrew Marimo told the court that in May 2012, Ngulube sold a Nissan Hardbody belonging to council to Costa Moyo without the board’s approval.

The car was sold for $8, 000.
Ngulube allegedly converted the money to his own use.
The court also heard that between January and June last year, Ngulube took council funds amounting to $3,200 after claiming that he wanted to pay the council’s lawyers, Danzinger and Partners.

Said Marimo:
“Ngulube also took $1, 800 from the council coffers stating that he wanted to fly to Abuja on council business but failed to produce to the court his passport stamped by the Zimbabwean immigration department and authorities from any airport in Nigeria.”

It was further alleged that the accused unlawfully sold council residential and commercial stands and converted the money to his use.
Ngulube is also facing charges of usurping ministerial powers by employing officers Sarah Chibuku, 24, and Tanaka Manheru without the approval of the Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing.