The ManicaPost
Weekender Correspondent
TWO Swift Mutare Depot managers who were facing fraud charges were acquitted by a Mutare court.Innocent Goredema (41), an accounts manager and Precious Marimbe (29), an operations manager, had denied the charges when they first appeared in court in January this year.They were acquitted after a full trial. The pair was facing 10 counts of defrauding their employer.
Mutare magistrate, Mr Poterai Gwezhira presided over the matter, while public prosecutor, Mr Matthew Chimutunga represented the State.
The court heard that the pair had defrauded Swift Mutare Depot of $730 after they allegedly booked out some money for travelling subsistence allowances to different destinations and converted the money and fuel to their own use.
“Goredema and Marimbe were allocated fuel in a company motor vehicle, Mazda B1800, Registration Number AAP 2557 for the journeys. After receiving the money and the fuel for the journeys, the pair did not travel to the intended journeys.
“The vehicle which is on mobile tracking indicated that it was at all times parked at Goredema’s residence,” said Mr Chimutunga.
It was also alleged that Goredema, the territory accounts manager for Mutare, Rusape, Masvingo, Chipinge and Chiredzi Swift depot branches allegedly defrauded the company of $820 on nine different occasions using the same tactics as in the first matter.
In acquitting the managers, Mr Gwezhira said the complainant had not produced resounding evidence to the effect that the pair had indeed defrauded the company of the said money.
