News / National
R1,1 million theft cop on the run
13 Jul 2016 at 06:51hrs | Views
A POLICE officer stationed at Beitbridge District Headquarters' Finance Department who allegedly stole about R1,1 million from the force, is suspected to be on the run after skipping bail.
A magistrate on Monday issued a warrant of arrest against constable Admire Sibanda (33) when he failed to appear in court.
Sibanda allegedly worked in cahoots with one Walter Komboni (26) and Givemore Ndombonya who is still at large.
The cop, the court heard, stole $33,900 and R617,130 between December and June this year. The total amount stolen is equivalent to R1,1million.
Sibanda was responsible for depositing his employer's money with CBZ bank but allegedly used a fake date stamp to forge deposit slips with his accomplices and they shared the proceeds.
Sibanda and Komboni are jointly charged with theft of trust property.
Two weeks ago, Sibanda and Komboni were granted $400 bail each.
They were supposed to report at Beitbridge Urban Police Station on Fridays but Sibanda has disappeared, the court heard.
Beitbridge magistrate Mr Godswill Mavenge issued the warrant of arrest after the investigating officers said they could not locate Sibanda.
The duo is being represented by Mr Reason Mutimba and Mr Patrick Tererai.
Prosecuting, Mr Marvelous Chikomo told the court that on June 17 this year police received information that Sibanda was stealing money from the force.
He said detectives then went to the district's finance offices where they confiscated all receipts books and cash deposits confirmation slips.
"They took the receipt books and cash deposits confirmation slips to CBZ Beitbridge for verification and it was discovered that the deposits confirmation slips were fake," said Mr Chikomo.
Sibanda had 14 police receipt books which he had processed for the period covering December 14, 2015 to June 16, 2016 and never deposited the money into the police force's bank account, the court heard.
Further investigations, the court heard, revealed that the date stamp used on the fake cash deposit confirmation slips did not belong to the bank because its features did not correspond with the official bank date stamp.
"Sibanda was in turn arrested and during interrogations he revealed that on all occasions he took the money from office pretending to go to bank to deposit it. He would instead go to Komboni who had a fake CBZ bank stamp and cash deposit confirmation slips," said the prosecutor.
He said Komboni would issue Sibanda with fake date stamped cash deposit confirmation slips which Sibanda filed, purporting to have made the deposit in the CBZ account.
The court further heard that following his arrest, Sibanda led detectives to his house where they recovered $505 and R33,400.
"Detectives also arrested Walter Komboni who led them to his house. They recovered one fake CBZ date stamp, ink pad, ink, one ZRP Revolving Fund completed multicurrency deposit advice slip dated June 16, 2016. It had $1,210 written on it and was compiled by Dube P," said Mr Chikomo.
He said police also recovered $800, one Olivet PR2 printer Serial number 1535176 and one HP Laptop serial number 5CB3141282, used to print fake confirmation slips.
A magistrate on Monday issued a warrant of arrest against constable Admire Sibanda (33) when he failed to appear in court.
Sibanda allegedly worked in cahoots with one Walter Komboni (26) and Givemore Ndombonya who is still at large.
The cop, the court heard, stole $33,900 and R617,130 between December and June this year. The total amount stolen is equivalent to R1,1million.
Sibanda was responsible for depositing his employer's money with CBZ bank but allegedly used a fake date stamp to forge deposit slips with his accomplices and they shared the proceeds.
Sibanda and Komboni are jointly charged with theft of trust property.
Two weeks ago, Sibanda and Komboni were granted $400 bail each.
They were supposed to report at Beitbridge Urban Police Station on Fridays but Sibanda has disappeared, the court heard.
Beitbridge magistrate Mr Godswill Mavenge issued the warrant of arrest after the investigating officers said they could not locate Sibanda.
The duo is being represented by Mr Reason Mutimba and Mr Patrick Tererai.
He said detectives then went to the district's finance offices where they confiscated all receipts books and cash deposits confirmation slips.
"They took the receipt books and cash deposits confirmation slips to CBZ Beitbridge for verification and it was discovered that the deposits confirmation slips were fake," said Mr Chikomo.
Sibanda had 14 police receipt books which he had processed for the period covering December 14, 2015 to June 16, 2016 and never deposited the money into the police force's bank account, the court heard.
Further investigations, the court heard, revealed that the date stamp used on the fake cash deposit confirmation slips did not belong to the bank because its features did not correspond with the official bank date stamp.
"Sibanda was in turn arrested and during interrogations he revealed that on all occasions he took the money from office pretending to go to bank to deposit it. He would instead go to Komboni who had a fake CBZ bank stamp and cash deposit confirmation slips," said the prosecutor.
He said Komboni would issue Sibanda with fake date stamped cash deposit confirmation slips which Sibanda filed, purporting to have made the deposit in the CBZ account.
The court further heard that following his arrest, Sibanda led detectives to his house where they recovered $505 and R33,400.
"Detectives also arrested Walter Komboni who led them to his house. They recovered one fake CBZ date stamp, ink pad, ink, one ZRP Revolving Fund completed multicurrency deposit advice slip dated June 16, 2016. It had $1,210 written on it and was compiled by Dube P," said Mr Chikomo.
He said police also recovered $800, one Olivet PR2 printer Serial number 1535176 and one HP Laptop serial number 5CB3141282, used to print fake confirmation slips.
Source - chronicle
