adminTimoth Makohliso Midlands Reporter
A ZIMBABWE National Water Authority employee based in Lower Gweru duped Maboleni and Insukamini residents of more than $1,500 which he demanded as water connection fees, a magistrate heard yesterday.Edward Bvumai, 37, of Muchena village, St Augustine Mission, Penhalonga in Mutare, appeared before Gweru magistrate Judith Taruvinga who sentenced him to 12 months in jail.
Taruvinga suspended three months on condition of good behaviour while the remainder were suspended on condition he completes 175 hours of community service at Silobela Rural District Council premises.
For the State, Gracious Rongai told the court that on a date unknown, but during the period extending from 2010 to last year, Bvumai was working at the Zinwa Insukamini Station as a water supplies operator.
Bvumai demanded and received money from Insukamini and Maboleni residents amounting to $1,630 which he said was fees for water connections and bills.
He, however, did not give them receipts for the payments.
Rongai said Bvumai was supposed to handover the money to his accountant, James Ncube, for banking purposes but did not do so.
Investigations later revealed that Bvumai had converted the money to his own use.
Bvumai went on to connect water pipes and taps at the residents’ houses who then went on to access water oblivious of the fact their accounts were still to be opened.
The matter came to light in November last year when an audit team from Zinwa headquarters visited the Insukamini branch and discovered that there were some illegal connections of water in the area.
The court heard that it was then discovered that Bvumai had collected $1,305 from residents as connection fee and it was also discovered that he had also collected $325 for water bills.
The total amount stolen was $1,630 and nothing was recovered.
Online Reporter