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Man sentenced to community service for forging Zimsec certificates
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A 50-year-old Anele Sipho Zikhali from Claremont, Bulawayo has been sentenced to 420 hours of community service after pleading guilty to forging Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (Zimsec) certificates for prominent businessman and politician Gift Banda.
Zikhali appeared last Friday before Bulawayo Provincial Magistrate Temba Chimiso, who sentenced him to 18 months in prison, with six months suspended on the condition that he does not commit a similar offence within five years. The remaining 12 months were suspended, provided he completes the community service at Waterford Primary School.
In mitigation, Zikhali's lawyer, Simbarashe Innocent Madzivire, called his wife to testify, highlighting that Zikhali is the sole breadwinner for their five children and that a custodial sentence would severely affect the family.
Prosecutor Samuel Mpofu argued that Zikhali's crime discredits the education system and undermines Zimsec's reputation, urging for a custodial sentence to serve as a deterrent.
The offence occurred in 2024, when Zikhali forged a Zimsec Ordinary Level certificate for Banda, claiming he had sat exams in November 1986. Police Anti-Corruption Unit detectives arrested Zikhali after receiving a tip-off and recovered the forged certificate, a laptop, and a cellphone used in the crime.
Banda was not put on trial because a key witness could not attend court due to illness.
Zikhali appeared last Friday before Bulawayo Provincial Magistrate Temba Chimiso, who sentenced him to 18 months in prison, with six months suspended on the condition that he does not commit a similar offence within five years. The remaining 12 months were suspended, provided he completes the community service at Waterford Primary School.
In mitigation, Zikhali's lawyer, Simbarashe Innocent Madzivire, called his wife to testify, highlighting that Zikhali is the sole breadwinner for their five children and that a custodial sentence would severely affect the family.
The offence occurred in 2024, when Zikhali forged a Zimsec Ordinary Level certificate for Banda, claiming he had sat exams in November 1986. Police Anti-Corruption Unit detectives arrested Zikhali after receiving a tip-off and recovered the forged certificate, a laptop, and a cellphone used in the crime.
Banda was not put on trial because a key witness could not attend court due to illness.
Source - The Chronicle
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