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BY VALENTINE MAPONGA
A Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP)assistant commissioner and an inspector were this week sentenced to 24 months imprisonment after a Harare magistrate found them guilty of swindling $4 000 from the ZRP's Kuyedza Women's Club.
Harare magistrate, Josephine Sande convicted suspended police Assistant Commissioner Fortunate Chirara and Inspector John Madhuku of theft, before slapping them with imprisonment.
However, Chirara and Madhuku will effectively serve nine months jail term after the presiding magistrate suspended six months on condition of good behaviour and another nine months on condition they restitute the ZRP of $2 300 each.
The two denied the charges by singling out Commissioner Chengeta's wife, Mirriam Maidei, saying the latter incurred various costs at Kuyedza Women's Club, but her expenditure receipts were not presented to the audit team.
The convicts had further averred some receipts relating to Maidei and her driver, one Assistant Inspector Rusengo, who provided services at Bauffer Lodge on May 1 last year on Kuyedza's fund, were missing.
Chirara and Madhuku also told the court that the receipts for water, which was bought for guests at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair, were deliberately not included in an effort to nail them, as were receipts for food bought at Chicken Inn in Bulawayo for all Kuyedza Club members.
During cross-examination of the State witness, Commissioner Chengeta denied that the money was withdrawn at the instance of Commissioner-General Augustine Chihuri's wife, Isabel, saying Chirara acted in connivance with Madhuku to fleece the club.
Chirara was the senior staff officer in the club, while Madhuku was attached to the Kuyedza Women's Club and both were based at the Police General Headquarters.
Chirara's duties included overall supervision of all police officers attached to the club and overall coordination of the activities in the club. Madhuku was one of the signatories to the club's bank accout.
From 2015, the State, alleged that the two hatched a plan to steal from the club where they would convert various amounts of money to their own use each time they authorised purchases of goods.
As a result of their actions, the club lost $4 000 and nothing was recovered.
The club was established as an empowerment vehicle by the wives of the police officers residing in camps, through-out Zimbabwe, to help them with self-sustaining projects. TOP NEWS
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