A FORMER paymaster at the Salary Service Bureau (SSB), Brighton Chiuzingo, has appeared before the Harare Magistrates’ Court facing fraud charges involving US$39 000 after he allegedly unlawfully increased his salary and that of his colleagues.
Chiuzingo appeared before magistrate Ruth Moyo, who granted him US$200 bail.
The complainant in the matter is the Public Service Commission (PSC), represented by Sibusisiwe Zembe, the secretary to the commission.
According to the State, Chiuzingo was employed as a paymaster at SSB (Salary Service Bureau) under PSC from 2010 to 2021.
It is alleged that sometime in 2018, Chiuzingo manipulated the government payroll system and unlawfully increased his remuneration.
He also increased that of 26 other payroll and pension administrators, without the authority or approval of the secretary to the Public Service Commission.
The State stated that the offence was discovered in November 2018 by Clemence Chiweshenga, then general manager of PSC, upon review of payslips submitted by the accused.
An internal audit exercise was conducted on December 4, 2018, by Owden Nhemura, the chief internal auditor at PSC, on the Salary Service Bureau Appropriation Account.
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The audit allegedly uncovered Chiuzingo’s manipulation of the government payroll system and the unauthorised salary increases.
An audit report was compiled and the State alleges that the accused’s actions caused the complainant a loss of US$39 903. Nothing has been recovered so far.
