BUILDER ALTERS INVOICE, STEALS FROM HALSTEDS

A 29-YEAR-OLD Mutare builder will spend the next ten months behind bars after he was convicted of defrauding a local hardware company, Halsteds Builders, of building materials worth more than US$2,000.

Thembelani Siziba, who was using the alias Innocent Muncitsha, appeared before Mutare Magistrate Honest Musiyiwa on Thursday facing charges of fraud.

Magistrate Musiyiwa sentenced Siziba to 12 months in prison, with two months suspended for five years on condition of good behaviour. The remaining 10 months will be served effectively.

The State, represented by prosecutor Joice Tinarwo, said that on July 14, Siziba connived with two unidentified accomplices, who are still at large, and visited Halsteds Builders’ Mutare branch under false pretences.

He initially purchased materials worth US$32.96, including one IBR Chromadek Kalahari sheet, 3 metres of brick force, and some pro-plastic electrical conduit pipes under invoice number M02/00665853.

However, what followed was a sophisticated act of deception.

“Siziba fraudulently altered the invoice to read US$2,132.96 He also changed the time on the invoice from 11:10 hours to 12:10 hours to avoid detection.

“He then took the forged document to the dispatch department, where the materials listed on the altered invoice were loaded into his truck,” said Tinarwo.

However, an alert employee at the dispatch department noticed something off about the large number of IBR roofing sheets being loaded into Siziba’s vehicle.

Sensing foul play, the employee cross-checked the invoice details against the company’s system.

The discrepancy immediately raised red flags and Halsteds Builders’ internal checks confirmed that the original purchase was far less than what was being loaded. A swift follow-up was made, which led to Siziba’s arrest.

Some of the roofing sheets were recovered within the city before he had managed to offload them.

In his defence, Siziba claimed he had merely acted on someone else’s instructions and had no knowledge of the altered invoice.

However, the court found overwhelming evidence that he played a direct and active role in the deception.

Magistrate Musiyiwa dismissed his defence as a feeble attempt to shift blame.

“The court cannot ignore the fact that you tampered with official documents, manipulated a legitimate transaction into a fraudulent one, and tried to make a quick fortune at someone else’s expense. Your actions were premeditated and not a matter of mistake or ignorance,” said Magistrate Musiyiwa.

“You carefully altered official documents to steal from a company that trusted its systems and employees. You exploited those systems with the hope of walking away undetected.

“A custodial sentence is necessary to send a strong message that the courts will not be lenient with those who abuse trust and corporate structures for personal gain.” Herald

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