Registrar jailed for theft

Austin Dube, a registrar at the Chipinge Civil Registry Office, has been sentenced to three years in prison for embezzling funds exceeding US$7,000, though one year of the sentence was suspended, leaving him with an effective two-year term.

Dube appeared before the Chipinge magistrates court last week, facing two counts of theft. The court heard that on July 28, irregularities were flagged by the provincial registrar for Manicaland, who then initiated an investigation into Dube's accounts. During the investigation, it was revealed that Dube could not account for US$4,115 collected from various sub-offices.

Further findings showed that on August 28, Dube received an additional US$6,793 in registry fees. However, none of the funds were deposited as required, and a total of US$7,385 remains unaccounted for.