Gokomere High School headmaster suspended

Gokomere High School headmaster Mr Stanley Mutsambiwa has been suspended on allegations of embezzling school funds, an official has confirmed.

Masvingo provincial education director Mr Zadius Chitiga said Mr Mutsambiwa was suspended when schools opened for the first term last Tuesday, pending investigations.

He declined to provide the amount of money which Mr Mutsambiwa is alleged to have embezzled.

"It is true that we have suspended Mr Mutsambiwa pending investigations," said Mr Chitiga.

"The matter is work in progress. That is what I can confirm for now as we do not want to jeopardise investigations."

A source told our Masvingo Bureau that Mr Mutsambiwa was served with a letter of suspension for three months pending investigations into allegations of defrauding the school.

"Mr Mutsambiwa has been taking pupils' money and converting it to his own use for a period of about three years," said the source. "This went undetected until parents of former pupils raised a complaint with the school authorities."

Efforts to get comment from Mr Mutsambiwa were fruitless.

A number of school heads have been suspended countrywide for abusing school funds after Government deployed audit teams to some schools.

Some of the school heads have since appeared in court.