Albert Ncube, Bianca Chikukwa, Dumisani Ndlovu, and Elvis
Chimbora appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Ms Nomagugu Maphosa facing fraud
charges.
They were not asked to plead and were remanded out of
custody to March 7 on $50 000 bail each.
Prosecuting, Ms Tapiwanashe Pomerai said between June 2021
and January this year, Ncube, Chikukwa, Ndlovu and Chimbora allegedly tampered
with the organisation’s monthly fuel expenditure returns and gave their
superiors false acquittals and defrauded their employer of fuel worth US$5 000.
The court said that an audit was conducted which led to the
discovery of the anomaly.
“Sometime in January 2023, fuel records were audited, and
it was discovered that the accused persons had falsified information on the
monthly fuel expenditure returns,” said Ms Pomerai.
The ZETDC Plumtree Deport draws fuel from the Bulawayo main
depot in bulk. The quartet was supposed to give a report to the main depot on
how the fuel was utilised.
“The accused persons, working with one Muteerwa who is the
regional stores man at the ZETDC Bulawayo main depot connived and gave false
information on how the fuel was used,” said Ms Pomerai
In their defence, the four men said between June 26, 2021
and December 20 last year, the company vehicle fleet number 1 467 used 1 300
liters of petrol yet the vehicle uses diesel.
“From September 2, 2022 to 2 January 2023, the vehicles
fleet number 4114 and 4160 used 1 680 litres of fuel yet the vehicles had been
decommissioned during that period,” said.
The company lost about US$5 040. A report was made to the
police leading the accused persona’s arrest. Chronicle
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