Provincial education director in BSPZ funds scandal

The corruption trial of Masvingo Provincial Education Director, Shylatte Mhike, continued yesterday with former Better Schools Programme Zimbabwe (BSPZ) Chivi District treasurer, Ramison Mafundikwa, appearing as the State's second witness.

Testifying before Regional Magistrate Innocent Bepura at the Masvingo Magistrates Court, Mafundikwa alleged that two additional officials received travel and subsistence (T&S) allowances during a 2023 verification exercise, despite not being part of the assignment.

He told the court that Chivi District Schools Inspector, Evershine Ndongwe, concealed the names of the two beneficiaries from him and instructed him to sign a blank withdrawal slip.

Mhike and Provincial Finance Director, Liniah Chinoda, are accused of receiving US$600 each for the exercise, despite not participating. The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) arrested the pair on March 7, and they face charges of criminal abuse of duty under Section 174 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act [Chapter 9:23]. Both have pleaded not guilty.

Mafundikwa, now a teacher at Mabika Primary School in Chivi, testified that on January 20, 2023, he met with Ndongwe and district accountant Tapiwa Mapindami, where they agreed to pay allowances to accountants verifying BSPZ accounts, repair a vehicle, and purchase a tyre at a total cost of US$4 090.

He said that while he signed the withdrawal slip, Ndongwe later informed him that US$1 200 had been added to cover two unnamed beneficiaries, bringing the total withdrawal to US$5 290. Subsequent verification showed that Mhike and Chinoda each received US$600.

Mafundikwa told the court that he only discovered the payments through T&S documents. Defence lawyer, Takunda Chikwati, challenged the credibility of the witness, arguing that the documents were incomplete and asking whether it was procedural for the accused to be paid without properly filled forms.

When pressed to produce evidence that Ndongwe had called him about the matter, Mafundikwa said it was difficult to do so given the time lapse, but maintained that he had frequently signed vouchers under Ndongwe's instructions, sometimes over the phone.

"I signed a withdrawal slip and Ndongwe told me to leave the amount blank as there were other people to be included on the list of those receiving T&S allowances. The responsibility to withdraw and pay the allowances was with Ndongwe and the accountant," Mafundikwa testified.

Ndongwe has denied ever calling the witness regarding the issue.

The trial continues today, with three more State witnesses expected to testify.