News / Local
Headmistress 'flees cops' over fraud
06 Mar 2015 at 02:56hrs | Views
Luveve High School's headmistress has been arrested with two members of the School Development Association (SDA), for allegedly stealing $5,000 from the school.
Pupils were reportedly treated to a free movie as the head and one of her accomplices tried to flee from police who came to the school to arrest them.
The head, Thobekile Dube, 61, allegedly connived with Richard Ndebele, 48, a former SDA chairperson and Dumisani Sibanda, 52, the incumbent secretary to steal the money.
School officials have since called for an audit of the school books as they suspect more money could have been misappropriated.
The trio, who were signatories to the school account, allegedly withdrew $5,000 from the school's unit trust account at Old Mutual and deposited the money into the school's CBZ account before withdrawing it and converting it to their personal use.
They were exposed by an audit last month.
Officials at the school said in November 2013, the school opened a unit trust account with Old Mutual.
"The school then deposited $19,000 into the account. On January 15, 2015, the three went to Old Mutual, purporting to have been sent by the school and withdrew $5,000," said a source.
The Chronicle established that the trio were served by Silanganiso Fuyani, a client officer at Old Mutual.
An unsuspecting Fuyani made them complete redemption forms that were signed by Dube and Sibanda.
They withdrew the money from account number 151181/01 and put it into the CBZ account number 0122021850025.
Officials at the school said the trio withdrew the money from the CBZ account on January 20 this year.
Dube allegedly failed to account for the money when she was questioned by auditors.
School authorities said a report was made at Luveve Police Station, leading to the trio's arrest.
A docket was opened under Crime Report (CR) number 115/02/15.
Meanwhile, the trio yesterday appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Sibongile Msipa- Marondedze facing a charge of fraud.
Ndebele pleaded guity but both Dube and Sibanda denied the charge.
They were remanded out of custody to March 13, on $200 bail each.
Pupils were reportedly treated to a free movie as the head and one of her accomplices tried to flee from police who came to the school to arrest them.
The head, Thobekile Dube, 61, allegedly connived with Richard Ndebele, 48, a former SDA chairperson and Dumisani Sibanda, 52, the incumbent secretary to steal the money.
School officials have since called for an audit of the school books as they suspect more money could have been misappropriated.
The trio, who were signatories to the school account, allegedly withdrew $5,000 from the school's unit trust account at Old Mutual and deposited the money into the school's CBZ account before withdrawing it and converting it to their personal use.
They were exposed by an audit last month.
Officials at the school said in November 2013, the school opened a unit trust account with Old Mutual.
"The school then deposited $19,000 into the account. On January 15, 2015, the three went to Old Mutual, purporting to have been sent by the school and withdrew $5,000," said a source.
The Chronicle established that the trio were served by Silanganiso Fuyani, a client officer at Old Mutual.
An unsuspecting Fuyani made them complete redemption forms that were signed by Dube and Sibanda.
They withdrew the money from account number 151181/01 and put it into the CBZ account number 0122021850025.
Officials at the school said the trio withdrew the money from the CBZ account on January 20 this year.
Dube allegedly failed to account for the money when she was questioned by auditors.
School authorities said a report was made at Luveve Police Station, leading to the trio's arrest.
A docket was opened under Crime Report (CR) number 115/02/15.
Meanwhile, the trio yesterday appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Sibongile Msipa- Marondedze facing a charge of fraud.
Ndebele pleaded guity but both Dube and Sibanda denied the charge.
They were remanded out of custody to March 13, on $200 bail each.
Source - chronicle
