A 29-YEAR-OLD Midlands State University (MSU) student has been arraigned before the Zvishavane magistrate courts facing theft charges for allegedly stealing two workers’ salaries while on attachment at Newbase Construction.
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Joana Chavarika of 30008/10 Entumbane, Bulawayo, and her accomplice Bernard Ruvetsva (45) of 18 Westeria, Weston Lee Mashava appeared before Zvishavane magistrate Peter Madiba facing theft charges.
Chavarika a fourth-year student at MSU and Ruvetsva, Newbase Construction’s payroll officer, are alleged to have swindled $2 850 meant for salaries of two workers from the company’s safe cabinet in December last year.
The two pleaded not guilty to the charges, while the State compiled more evidence to the case.
Public prosecutor Ausi Saidi told the court that on December 20 2014 at around 2pm Chavarika was assisting an accounts clerk Patience Dziba to pay terminated employees and creditors their salaries at Newbase Construction.
Ruvetsva, as the payroll officer, approached the accounts personnel advising them of the cash that he wanted to submit for safekeeping in the company safe meant for two workers who had not come to claim their cash on that day and Chavarika responded to him.
It is alleged that Chavarika requested Ruvetsva to submit the cash in an envelope.
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Chavarika collected the safe keys from Dziba and proceeded to open it for Ruvetsva to place the envelope with the cash before she closed the safe and handed the keys back to Dziba.
The State alleges that Dziba later checked her books and cash, which she had at the close of the day.
She placed the cash in the cashbox and placed it in the cabinet, which she locked and kept the keys.
On December 23 2014 at around 10am one of the workers went to claim his money.
Dziba and her subordinate, Loyce Musindo, opened the safe cabinet to make the payment and discovered that the envelope and cash were missing and made a report to the security guard on duty, Patrick Sedeya.
Sedeya made a police report, leading to the arrest of the two.
The two are being tried outside custody on free bail.
