GWERU – The trial of a Chaplin High School teacher, who allegedly swindled four parents of $110 each after promising them Form One places at the school early this year, kicked off at the Gweru Magistrates’ Courts yesterday.
Report by Stephen Chadenga
Cosmas Mukoko allegedly collected $440 from four parents seeking Form One places for their children between December 28 last year and January 3 this year and converted it to his own use.
Prosecutor Peter Marimo told the court that Mukoko was phoned by four parents seeking Form One places at the school.
He allegedly directed them to pay $110 each as school fees directly to him, claiming he would forward the money to the school’s accounts department.
Marimo told the court that Mukoko advised the parents to buy uniforms for their children after convincing them that they had secured places.
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The children started attending classes when schools opened on January 8.
The alleged scam was only unearthed when the school head Nyengeterai Nhemachena conducted an audit of admitted students and discovered that the four pupils were not on the official enrolment list.
Nhemachena summoned the parents of the affected children who later spilled the beans, leading to Mukoko’s arrest.
Mukoko, represented by Reginald Chidawanyika, yesterday denied the theft charge saying he had been officially tasked by school authorities to help in the enrolment of Form One students.
Magistrate Pathekile Msipa remanded the matter to April 3 for continuation of trial.
Mukoko is on $100 bail.