AN employee of the Zimbabwe Project Trust (ZPT) who pleaded guilty to defrauding a non-governmental organisation, York World Marketing, of 78 goats which were meant for distribution to Insiza villagers, has been ordered to perform 175 hours of community service at the Bulawayo Tredgold Magistrates’ Courts.
BY SILAS NKALA
Mluleki Nyathi (43) of Emganwini was initially charged with York World Marketing official Velaphi Dube (41) of Mabutweni, who denied the charge.
In handing down sentence, magistrate Glamiore Mushove said she had considered that Nyathi had offered to reimburse $2 960 for the goats.
The court initially sentenced him to 12 months in jail and later suspended four months on condition of good behaviour and another five months on condition that Nyathi performed 175 hours of community service. The remaining three months were set aside on condition he paid restitution.
“But what has aggravated the offence was that you committed a serious offence which must be taken seriously. You had been entrusted with work by the employer, but you breached that trust,” she said.
Dube’s case was postponed to this week for judgment.
Allegations against them were that sometime in 2014, York Marketing won a tender to supply 212 goats to beneficiaries in Insiza area, which were to be distributed by ZPT administrator Sikhumbuzo Nyamweda.
Nyathi was supposed to receive and distribute four goats per household.
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Dube was said to have delivered 134 goats and raised a delivery note for 212 goats which was signed by Nyathi and tendered to his employer for payment.
Nyamweda paid $13 674 for the 212 goats through cash transfer, and Dube issued a receipt for proof of payment.
To cover his tracks, Nyathi allegedly completed acknowledgement of receipt forms purporting that the intended beneficiaries had received their share of the goats.
The offence was discovered when Nyamweda conducted an audit of the goats in the communities and which revealed that only 134 goats out of 212 had been distributed.
This led to the pair’s arrest.
