A WOMAN who was convicted for stealing $6 800 was last week rearrested and sentenced to an effective nine months in jail after failing to pay back the money she stole.
SILAS NKALA STAFF REPORTER
Nodumo Standazile Mpande (24) was initially sentenced to 15 months in prison, with nine months suspended on condition she paid back the money, while the rest was suspended on condition she performed community service.
After she failed to pay back on a stipulated date, the court issued her with a warrant of arrest and was arrested on Tuesday before being taken to court yesterday.
Bulawayo magistrate Singandu Jele last week effected her nine-month jail term pending an appeal which the company is filing at the High Court against the sentence, which they feel was lenient.
Prosecutor Munyonga Kuvarega told the court that sometime between January 1 2013 and September 25 2014 Mpande was employed by Supermed Pharmacy, situated at between 8th and 9th avenues, along Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo Street in Bulawayo.
She allegedly received $73 154,63 on different occasions from Supermed Pharmacy, which is being represented by Lorraine Hadebe, after it was agreed that she was supposed to deposit the money in different companies’ accounts.
The companies had reportedly supplied the pharmacy with drugs on credit.
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It is the State case that, instead, Mpande unlawfully converted the whole amount to her own use.
The offence reportedly came to light when one of their suppliers contacted the pharmacy demanding money, which had been already given to Mpande to pay into its account.
This led to the pharmacy making a report to the police, leading to Mpande’s arrest.
A search conducted by the police at Mpande’s house resulted in the recovery of signed invoices showing that a payment of $20 904,60 was made to one supplier, while another showed that the National Generics company was paid $290.
A number of invoices, which had no signatures, were recovered.
An audit of the pharmacy’s accounts proved that $73 154,63 meant to pay suppliers was not accounted for and this is the amount which Mpande is alleged to have converted to her own use.
