Trio faces US$37 000 fraud charges

Source: The Herald – Breaking news.

Yeukai Karengezeka, Court Correspondent

A TRUCK driver and two vendors yesterday appeared at Harare magistrates’ courts facing charges of defrauding a local tobacco company of US$37 000 worth of packing and other materials.

Silas Togo (44), Greater Chiendambuya (56), and Tecla Chiradza (48), appeared before Magistrate Isheunesu Matova and were remanded on bail of US$100 each to March 27.

The gang hit Premier Leaf Zimbabwe where Togo is employed as a truck driver, while Chiendambuya and Chiradza work as vendors at the Tobacco Sales Floor handling tobacco-related materials.

Prosecutor Mr Rufaro told the court that between January 6 and January 31 this year, the gang worked with an accomplice, Effort Masimba Makota, who remains at large.

Makota, a store clerk employed by Premier Leaf, allegedly duplicated collection vouchers and provided them to the gang.

Armed with these forged documents, they accessed the company’s stores and removed aquamol paper and STC boxes valued at US$37 550. The goods were loaded into a truck linked to Togo’s employer.

The theft was uncovered during a stock take on February 1. A review of CCTV footage showed the gang in the act, prompting Premier Leaf Zimbabwe to report the theft to the police.

Subsequent investigations led to Togo’s arrest, during which he implicated Chiendambuya and Chiradza.