News / National
$150 000 fraud lands couple in the dock
18 Feb 2016 at 06:57hrs | Views
Midlands State University bursar Mamelo Moyo and her husband Melusi Moyo appeared in court for allegedly siphoning more than $150 000 from the institution in fraudulent, dubious and opaque business transactions.
Mamelo, and her husband who was also employed by the MSU as acting director of works, both of Mtausi Park, Gweru, were not asked to plead when they appeared before Gweru provincial magistrate Mrs Phathekile Msipha facing 30 counts of fraud and corruption.
The couple, which has since been suspended from MSU over the accusations, is represented by Albert Mhaka and Arnold Sakupinje of Mhaka Attorneys.
They were remanded in custody to March 2.
Prosecuting, Mr Lloyd Mavhisa told the court that on October 26 last year, MSU, represented by Erasmus Mupfiga, got a tip-off that the two had an undisclosed relationship with one of the university's suppliers of stationery and computer accessories called Netabelt Investments (Pvt) Limited.
The institution then called Deloitte & Touche to investigate the relationship between the accused and the company.
"On realising that procurement procedures of the university were about to be audited, Mamelo completed a declaration of conflict form and declared that Melusi was her husband and director of Netabelt Investments (Pvt) Limited," said Mavhisa.
"She also brought a declaration of conflict forms completed by her husband declaring that he was the director of the company."
The court heard that she went on and forced her two subordinates, Nyaradzai Kutsira and Jonathan Satande, to sign the forms as witnesses.
Mavhisa said the audit revealed that Melusi had 30 transactions through Netabelt Investment (Pvt) Limited, worth $154 393, 65 with the MSU for the supply of stationery and food through a competitive quotation bidding process.
He said his wife would authorise payments to the company.
Mamelo appeared before the same court facing a count of abuse of duty as a public officer after she authorised payments which were supposed to be done by another office.
Mavhisa told the court that sometime in December 2013, Moyo phoned her sister's husband, Tinashe Shumba, who then was based in Botswana and requested him to supply toner cartridges to the university.
"Shumba then sent a quotation of $9 860 to Moyo via e-mail for 25 toner cartridges and Moyo responded and told him to supply the cartridges.
"This was contrary to the university's requirements as the process is initiated by assistant buyers who will then recommend the supplier to the procurement manager," he said.
The court heard that on February 22, 2014, Shumba delivered the 25 cartridges under the name of Black Brain Operations (Pvt) Limited, an unregistered company.
Moyo then authorised payment of $9 860 and signed for it in the cash register on behalf of Shumba and went on to hand over the money to him.
Mavhisa alleged that Shumba then gave Moyo $200 as appreciation.
Mamelo, and her husband who was also employed by the MSU as acting director of works, both of Mtausi Park, Gweru, were not asked to plead when they appeared before Gweru provincial magistrate Mrs Phathekile Msipha facing 30 counts of fraud and corruption.
The couple, which has since been suspended from MSU over the accusations, is represented by Albert Mhaka and Arnold Sakupinje of Mhaka Attorneys.
They were remanded in custody to March 2.
Prosecuting, Mr Lloyd Mavhisa told the court that on October 26 last year, MSU, represented by Erasmus Mupfiga, got a tip-off that the two had an undisclosed relationship with one of the university's suppliers of stationery and computer accessories called Netabelt Investments (Pvt) Limited.
The institution then called Deloitte & Touche to investigate the relationship between the accused and the company.
"On realising that procurement procedures of the university were about to be audited, Mamelo completed a declaration of conflict form and declared that Melusi was her husband and director of Netabelt Investments (Pvt) Limited," said Mavhisa.
"She also brought a declaration of conflict forms completed by her husband declaring that he was the director of the company."
The court heard that she went on and forced her two subordinates, Nyaradzai Kutsira and Jonathan Satande, to sign the forms as witnesses.
Mavhisa said the audit revealed that Melusi had 30 transactions through Netabelt Investment (Pvt) Limited, worth $154 393, 65 with the MSU for the supply of stationery and food through a competitive quotation bidding process.
He said his wife would authorise payments to the company.
Mamelo appeared before the same court facing a count of abuse of duty as a public officer after she authorised payments which were supposed to be done by another office.
Mavhisa told the court that sometime in December 2013, Moyo phoned her sister's husband, Tinashe Shumba, who then was based in Botswana and requested him to supply toner cartridges to the university.
"Shumba then sent a quotation of $9 860 to Moyo via e-mail for 25 toner cartridges and Moyo responded and told him to supply the cartridges.
"This was contrary to the university's requirements as the process is initiated by assistant buyers who will then recommend the supplier to the procurement manager," he said.
The court heard that on February 22, 2014, Shumba delivered the 25 cartridges under the name of Black Brain Operations (Pvt) Limited, an unregistered company.
Moyo then authorised payment of $9 860 and signed for it in the cash register on behalf of Shumba and went on to hand over the money to him.
Mavhisa alleged that Shumba then gave Moyo $200 as appreciation.
Source - herald
