Harare provincial magistrate Ms Barbra Chimbodza on Monday
convicted three men of defrauding Harare Central Hospital of more than $68 000
in a botched pharmaceuticals supply deal.
Stansfield Dhokwani, Nicholas Mjanja, Albert Chisema,
Collen Malambo Makuyana and Gift Ziyambe, a chief accounting officer at the
hospital, were facing fraud charges.
Dhokwani and Mjanja were found not guilty and acquitted on
13 counts of fraud, but were convicted of receiving stolen property. But Chisema, Ziyambe and Makuyana were convicted of the 13
counts of fraud and another 13 counts of receiving stolen property.
In passing judgment, Ms Chimbodza noted that fraud cases
involved a degree of planning and the State witnesses explained the role played
by the convicts.
She said the convicts were not credible witnesses as they
changed their defence outlines in an effort to confuse the court.
The matter was rolled over to today for sentencing.
Prosecutor George Manokore told the court that in 2008, the Health Ministry
awarded a tender to Laryscope Health Care (Pvt) Ltd to supply pharmaceutical
products to Harare Central Hospital.
On December 21, 2010, the hospital requested pharmaceutical
products worth $8 400 from the company.
The goods were supplied and the pharmaceutical shop
submitted requisition copies, goods received and its tax invoice.
On February 15, 2011, the hospital acknowledged receipt of
the products. The convicts connived to forge a tax invoice.
They also forged a letter purporting that Laryscope
instructed the hospital to transfer all payments to Floralsplah Investment’s
bank account.
Acting on the misrepresentation, the hospital transferred
$8 400 to Floralsplah and Dhokwani, who is a signatory to Floralsplah’s bank
account, withdrew the money.
On June 28, 2011, the hospital requested pharmaceutical
products worth $2 250, and using the same strategy, the accused forged
documents bearing Ballstring Investments (Pvt) Ltd’s letterheads and recommended
the hospital to transfer money into the company’s bank account.
Mjanja, a signatory of Ballstring’s bank account, withdrew
the money in connivance with the quartet.
The court heard that the hospital made several requests for
pharmaceutical supplies between December 2010 and December 2014 amounting to
$68 783.
All the money was transferred into Floralsplah and
Ballstring bank accounts and nothing was recovered. Herald
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