Source: Zanu PF Gokwe councillor in court for printing counterfeit receipt books – NewsDay Zimbabwe November 7, 2017
A ZANU PF Gokwe councillor has been dragged to court on allegations of printing counterfeit council receipt books before collecting levies from unsuspecting villagers and converting the money to his own use.
BY DESMOND CHINGARANDE
The suspect Samson Ernest Chigaba (50), who is also a headmaster at Dzvuke Primary School, last week appeared before Gokwe magistrate Christopher Maturure who granted him $100 bail and remanded the matter to November 9.
The complainant in the matter is Gokwe South Rural District Council represented by its chairperson Zhangazha Chibwana.
Allegations are that on dates unknown to the prosecutor but in December 2015, Chigaba hatched a plan to defraud Gokwe South Rural Council by collecting levies illegally from villagers under St Hughes area in Mateta, Gokwe South.
Chigaba allegedly approached one Shepstone Chiweshe to manufacture fake Gokwe South Rural District Council invoice books in a bid to deceive villagers that the receipt books were genuine.
It is alleged Chigaba further instructed Chiweshe to inscribe his contact details and a face value of $5 which was broken down as $2,50 clinic levy, $2,25 road levy and $0,25 village head’s allowance.
Chigaba in his capacity as councillor allegedly formed a committee known as St Hughes Neighbourhood Committee which he intended to use to accomplish his plan.
The State alleges that between December 6, 2015 and December 21 last year, Chigaba went on to collect levies per household with assistance from the neighbourhood committee. He collected $715 from 143 households. Between May 9 last year and August 13 this year, Chigaba collected $2 600 from 520 villagers in Dzvuke area.
From November 4 last year to March 31 this year Chigaba allegedly collected another $475 from villagers in Manoti area. The matter was discovered by Gokwe South Rural District Council revenue collectors, leading to the recovery of some of the counterfeit receipt books.
Tineyi Tirigo appeared for the State.
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