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Police recruits nabbed for forging ‘O' Level certificates

by Staff reporter
15 Aug 2022 at 06:40hrs | Views
SEVERAL police recruits were arrested for allegedly forging their ordinary level (O level) certificates with the help of a Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (Zimsec) employee.

The issue came out when Marian Mawonera (22) appeared before Harare magistrate Yeukai Dzuda on Saturday charged with fraud.

Mawonera was remanded in custody to today for bail application.

The complainant is the State, represented by Siphosami Tshuma, a Superintendent in the Zimbabwe Republic Police stationed at the Police General Headquarters Recruiting section.

Mawonera is undergoing police initial training at ZRP Mkushi Training Depot.

Allegations are that on April 18, 2021, the police flighted an advertisement in newspapers inviting individuals who met police recruitment criteria to
apply.

The accused was among many individuals who applied and included a Zimsec Ordinary Level certificate for November 2017 with two Ordinary Level passes: English Language C and Mathematics A.

Mawonera was subsequently attested into the police force on November 9, 2021 and she started training at Mkushi Training Depot.

The police then sent her O Level certificates to Zimsec for verification.

In May 2022, the Zimbabwe Republic Police received results from the examinations body indicating that the accused had filed a forged certificate for November 2017 examination because her official results were a "D" in the English Language and an "A" in Mathematics.

The State alleged that as a result of this misrepresentation, it suffered actual prejudice of $179 571,48 and US$600 in the form of salaries paid to the accused.

Other recruits, William Chikumbirike and Obert Chirape appeared before the same magistrate charged with a similar crime, while Donald Muchawo, a Zimsec employee, was in the dock for abetting the crime.

The accused were granted $10 000 bail each.

Source - NewsDay Zimbabwe