MSU bursar, hubby gets suspended sentence for siphoning $150,000

MIDLANDS State University (MSU) bursar Mamelo Moyo and her husband Melusi who formed a briefcase company that saw the institution of higher learning being siphoned of more than $150 000 through unprocedural business transactions have been slapped with a five-year jail sentence.

The two were, however, lucky to escape jail when Gweru regional magistrate Mr Morgan Nemadire suspended two years from their sentence on condition that they pay $4 000 each and a further three years suspended on condition of good behaviour.

Moyo and her husband Melusi who was also employed by MSU as the acting director of works had pleaded not guilty when they were arraigned before Mr Nemadire facing 30 counts of fraud and corruption. They were convicted and sentenced last Friday.

The State led by Mr Munyaradzi Guvheya told the court that on 26 October last year, MSU represented by Mr Erasmus Mupfiga, got a tip-off that the two had an undisclosed relationship with one of the university's suppliers of stationery and computer accessories called Netabelt Investments Pvt Limited. The institution then called Deloitte and Touche to investigate the relationship between the pair and the company.

"On realising that procurement procedures of the university were about to be audited, Mamelo completed declaration of conflicts form and declared that Melusi was her husband and director of Netabelt Investments Pvt Limited," said Mr Guvheya.

"She also brought a declaration of conflicts form completed by her husband declaring he was the director of the company." The court heard that she went on and forced her two subordinates Nyaradzai Kutsira and Jonathan Satande to sign in the forms as witnesses.

Mr Guvheya said the audit, however, disclosed that Melusi also had 30 transactions through Netabelt Investment Pvt Limited worth $154 393, 65 with MSU for the supply of stationery and food which were preceded through Competitive Quotation Bidding process. He said his wife would authorise the payments made to the company.

Mamelo appeared before the same court facing a count of abuse of duty as a public officer after she authorised payments which were supposed to be done by another office.

Mr Guvheya told the court that sometime in December 2013, Moyo phoned her sister's husband Tinashe Shumba who then was based in Botswana and requested him to supply toner cartridges to the university.

"Shumba then sent a quotation of $9 860 to Moyo via e-mail for 25 toner cartridges and Moyo responded and told him to supply the cartridges. And this was contrary to the university's requirements as the process is initiated by assistant buyers who will then recommend the supplier to the procurement manager," he said.

The court heard that on 22 February, 2014, Shumba delivered the 25 cartridges under the name of Black Brain Operations Pvt Limited which is an unregistered company. Moyo then authorised the payment of $9 860 and signed for it in the cash register on behalf of Shumba and went on to hand over the money to him.

Mr Gucheya said Shumba then gave Moyo $200 as appreciation.