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NewsDay

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‘Bogus’ school owner finally in court

News
THE case of Netsai Makamure , owner of Beautiful Beginners, an illegal private school in Marondera, will finally be heard after several attempts to have her prosecuted had failed since last year.

THE case of Netsai Makamure , owner of Beautiful Beginners, an illegal private school in Marondera, will finally be heard after several attempts to have her prosecuted had failed since last year.

BY JAIROS SAUNYAMA

According to summons issued at the Marondera Magistrates’ Court yesterday, Makamure (33) will appear in court on July 27 for contravening Section 15(1) sub-section of the Education Act Chapter 25:04 (Failure to register a non-governmental school).

The school, which is registered as an early childhood development centre, is allegedly operating both illegal primary and secondary boarding schools at the industrial site.

The matter was reported at Marondera Central Police Station under case number CR117/5/16.

However, the case failed to commence after education officers dealing with the matter, Joseph Mangwiro (55) and Nicodemus Karuma (56), refused to testify in court, citing influence from “high offices”.

According to a paper signed at Marondera Central Police Station by Karuma, gleaned by this paper, he withdrew from testifying after receiving an order not to testify.

Last year, this paper unearthed how the War Veterans ministry deposited more than $20 000 into the school’s ZB Bank account meant for war veterans’ children who were enrolled at the school.

NewsDay also reported how several children under the school’s boarding facility in Marondera’s Paradise Park suburb were left stranded after the messenger of court evicted them from a house they were staying over rent arrears.

Court papers read that on May 20 last year, Karuma received a tip-off that the accused person was operating an unregistered non-governmental school at Stand 59 Detroit Crescent, Longlands Industrial Site in Marondera.

Karuma then reported the facts of the tip-off to the police at Marondera Central on May 27, 2016.

On June 6, 2016, at around 10am police officers from Marondera Central conducted a search at the school and it was established that the owners were operating an illegal primary school after they discovered pupils at the site.