News / National
Army official in $25 000 salary scam
02 May 2014 at 11:39hrs | Views
HARARE - A soldier, who is accused of manipulating the Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) salary schedule by deducting $2 from each of his colleagues, has approached the High Court seeking to stop court martial proceedings.
John Mambewu, a captain in the ZNA and attached to the Information Technology Department, is facing three counts of fraud.
Mambewu, through his lawyer Norman Mugiya, has since approached the High Court of Zimbabwe seeking to stop court-martial proceedings. He wants the matter to be heard in the public courts. He said it would be unfair for him to be tried by the same people who claim he stole from them.
"I have approached this court so that the respondents (presiding officer, army commander and minister of Defence) are barred from proceeding before the court-martial and that I be tried by a formal court or that the respondent seek assistance from the Judicial Service Commission so that it could constitute a court which shall operate as a court-martial for purposes of this matter," Mambewu said in his High Court application.
According to court papers, Mambewu unlawfully deducted $2 each from 6 380 ZNA members who accessed their salaries through CABS in December last year.
Mambewu is further accused of having used the name of a person he claimed to be a soldier, yet the name did not exist in the ZNA database. He allegedly used the account to deposit $12 760, before withdrawing the money.
Mambewu, who has worked for the ZNA for 36 years, allegedly used the same trick in February this year and deposited
$13 032 into his bank account, after deducting $2 each from 6 516 members. He reportedly withdrew the money and converted it to his personal use.
During the same month of February, the court heard that Mambewu also withdrew
$2 each from 5 807 ZNA members, who access their salaries through CBZ Bank.
It is further alleged that Mambewu "reinstated" one of the soldiers who had deserted the army and used his particulars to siphon $11 614.
According to state papers, Mambewu prejudiced his colleagues a total of $25 792. The offence came to light after some of the soldiers raised queries pertaining to the deductions.
Mambewu is denying the allegations and told the court he was not at work during the period the deductions took place.
"I want to state that even if I had those intentions, I wasn't going to use my regimental number and account number. These must be acts of people with malicious intentions to damage my reputation at work and block my promotion," Mambewu said.
Officer wants High Court to stall court martial trial
John Mambewu, a captain in the ZNA and attached to the Information Technology Department, is facing three counts of fraud.
Mambewu, through his lawyer Norman Mugiya, has since approached the High Court of Zimbabwe seeking to stop court-martial proceedings. He wants the matter to be heard in the public courts. He said it would be unfair for him to be tried by the same people who claim he stole from them.
"I have approached this court so that the respondents (presiding officer, army commander and minister of Defence) are barred from proceeding before the court-martial and that I be tried by a formal court or that the respondent seek assistance from the Judicial Service Commission so that it could constitute a court which shall operate as a court-martial for purposes of this matter," Mambewu said in his High Court application.
According to court papers, Mambewu unlawfully deducted $2 each from 6 380 ZNA members who accessed their salaries through CABS in December last year.
Mambewu is further accused of having used the name of a person he claimed to be a soldier, yet the name did not exist in the ZNA database. He allegedly used the account to deposit $12 760, before withdrawing the money.
Mambewu, who has worked for the ZNA for 36 years, allegedly used the same trick in February this year and deposited
$13 032 into his bank account, after deducting $2 each from 6 516 members. He reportedly withdrew the money and converted it to his personal use.
During the same month of February, the court heard that Mambewu also withdrew
$2 each from 5 807 ZNA members, who access their salaries through CBZ Bank.
It is further alleged that Mambewu "reinstated" one of the soldiers who had deserted the army and used his particulars to siphon $11 614.
According to state papers, Mambewu prejudiced his colleagues a total of $25 792. The offence came to light after some of the soldiers raised queries pertaining to the deductions.
Mambewu is denying the allegations and told the court he was not at work during the period the deductions took place.
"I want to state that even if I had those intentions, I wasn't going to use my regimental number and account number. These must be acts of people with malicious intentions to damage my reputation at work and block my promotion," Mambewu said.
Officer wants High Court to stall court martial trial
Source - Daily News
