Ray Bande
Senior Reporter
REGISTRAR at Chipinge Civil Registry Office, Austin Dube – who was arrested, and arraigned before the courts on theft charges emanating from missing registry fees – will know his fate when judgment is delivered next Tuesday.
The 61-year-old Dube, who has been appearing before Chipinge magistrate, Mr Nixon Mungoti, is facing charges of theft of trust property as defined in Section 113(2)(d) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, Chapter 9:23.
He is out on US$500 bail.
Mr Thulani Zondwayo is prosecuting.
Mr Zondwayo told the court that the registrar at Chipinge Civil Registry Office was given by Sally Muzhanje, the accountant, cash for Registry Revenue Collection Fees, amounting to US$6 793, with a deposit slip for banking at FBC Bank, Mutare branch, recently.
He Zondwayo said the accused left the office and further tasked the accountant to visit Chibuwe and Checheche sub-offices, and collect all revenues at hand.
The accountant proceeded to Chibuwe and Chisumbanje sub-offices as instructed and collected US$2 586.
On a Saturday, Dube allegedly went to the accountant’s office carrying a black plastic bag, and instructed the accountant to count the cash in the office, which amounted to US$3 523.
The amount contradicted with the previous and actual figure of US$6 793 he had been given to bank the previous Wednesday.
The accused person went on to instruct the informant to re-write another deposit slip bearing the initial US$6 793 and US$2 586 which she had collected from sub-offices.
The instruction did not go down well with the accountant, who then advised the provincial registrar, and a report was made to the police, leading to Dube’s arrest.