Forgery case withdrawn

Community News
LUPANE — A finance clerk with the Lupane town local board, who was accused of using fake O’ Level qualifications to get the job at the local authority where she later allegedly stole US$304, had her case withdrawn before plea recently.

LUPANE — A finance clerk with the Lupane town local board, who was accused of using fake O’ Level qualifications to get the job at the local authority where she later allegedly stole US$304, had her case withdrawn before plea recently.

BY SILAS NKALA

This was after Lupane police failed to submit her charge docket in court since the case started in October last year.

The police later told the court that they had sent the docket to the Hwange area prosecutor but could not state the reasons for sending it there.

Nobuhle Nyathi (35) appeared before Lupane Magistrate, Takudzwa Gwazemba and was given a US$100 bail.

The trial was supposed to begin on February 4 this year but police failed to bring the docket. It was then set for February 10 but the police again failed to bring the docket to the trial court.

The state led by Sanders Sibanda submitted that failure by police to bring the docket to the trial court was the reason why the case must be withdrawn before plea.

“On that reason, I submit for the withdrawal of charges before plea as the police get directives they want from the Hwange area prosecutor and fail to bring the docket to the trial court,” submitted Sibanda.

The court heard that in October 2007, Nyathi applied for a receptionist post at Kusile Rural District Council (RDC) and allegedly presented a forged O’ Level certificate to the prospective employer.

She was employed at Kusile RDC using the alleged forged certificate. Nyathi later got a job at the Lupane Local Board using the same alleged fake qualification where she worked as a finance clerk.

Nyathi allegedly received money from clients and diverted it to her own use for several occasions.

The local board officials later discovered that she was allegedly stealing the money and a report was made to the police leading to her arrest.

Following her arrest, investigations allegedly unearthed that Nyathi allegedly used a fake O’ Level certificate to get the job at the local board. A total of US$314 was allegedly stolen and was not recovered.