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Bail revoked for headmaster in Cambridge exam scandal
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Cynthia Gambiza, the proprietor of Destiny Achievers College, was last week remanded in custody after the State successfully applied for the revocation of her bail in a case where she is facing seven counts of fraud involving Cambridge examination fees amounting to US$4,000.
The court heard that Gambiza had not appeared for her trial since May 13, prompting State prosecutor Mr Takudzwa Mutyavaviri to apply for bail revocation. In response, Gambiza claimed she had been unwell and produced a doctor's note in her defence. However, Mr Mutyavaviri challenged the authenticity of the letter, noting it lacked a date and an official stamp.
Harare magistrate Mr Tapiwa Banda upheld the State's argument and ordered that Gambiza be remanded in custody until today (Monday) for the continuation of trial proceedings.
According to the prosecution, the alleged fraud dates back to January 2021, when Rachel Munhenga enrolled her daughter, Gaumuchirai Matsenga, at Destiny Achievers College in Glen Forest under the impression that the institution was a registered Cambridge examinations centre.
The school advertised this alleged affiliation through social media platforms and billboards, persuading Munhenga and others to enrol their children under the promise of an internationally recognised curriculum.
Matsenga studied at the school from Form One to Form Four and was due to sit for her Cambridge Ordinary Level examinations in the October–November 2024 session. On May 9, 2023, her mother paid US$700 for the registration fees.
However, on September 26, 2024, Munhenga received a WhatsApp message from Gambiza informing her that her daughter had not been registered for the exams. Gambiza attributed the non-registration to the student's lack of a national ID at the time of the supposed registration.
Further investigations revealed that several other parents were duped using the same pretext, raising serious concerns about the legitimacy of Destiny Achievers College and its claimed links to the UK-based Cambridge Assessment International Education.
The case has now sparked public calls for the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education to tighten regulations around private schools and exam centre accreditation.
The court heard that Gambiza had not appeared for her trial since May 13, prompting State prosecutor Mr Takudzwa Mutyavaviri to apply for bail revocation. In response, Gambiza claimed she had been unwell and produced a doctor's note in her defence. However, Mr Mutyavaviri challenged the authenticity of the letter, noting it lacked a date and an official stamp.
Harare magistrate Mr Tapiwa Banda upheld the State's argument and ordered that Gambiza be remanded in custody until today (Monday) for the continuation of trial proceedings.
According to the prosecution, the alleged fraud dates back to January 2021, when Rachel Munhenga enrolled her daughter, Gaumuchirai Matsenga, at Destiny Achievers College in Glen Forest under the impression that the institution was a registered Cambridge examinations centre.
The school advertised this alleged affiliation through social media platforms and billboards, persuading Munhenga and others to enrol their children under the promise of an internationally recognised curriculum.
Matsenga studied at the school from Form One to Form Four and was due to sit for her Cambridge Ordinary Level examinations in the October–November 2024 session. On May 9, 2023, her mother paid US$700 for the registration fees.
However, on September 26, 2024, Munhenga received a WhatsApp message from Gambiza informing her that her daughter had not been registered for the exams. Gambiza attributed the non-registration to the student's lack of a national ID at the time of the supposed registration.
Further investigations revealed that several other parents were duped using the same pretext, raising serious concerns about the legitimacy of Destiny Achievers College and its claimed links to the UK-based Cambridge Assessment International Education.
The case has now sparked public calls for the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education to tighten regulations around private schools and exam centre accreditation.
Source - The Herald
