A 34-YEAR-OLD Gweru man Pardon Chikunda was yesterday handed a 24-month jail term after he submitted three tender bids under different company names without the consent of the companies’ directors in an effort to win an electrical wiring tender at the Midlands State University.
Report by Stephen Chadenga
Chikunda was sentenced on his own plea of guilty to fraud when he appeared before magistrate Sithembiso Ncube.
The court heard that on October 6 2009, Chikunda was advised that MSU had flighted a notice inviting tenders for electrical wiring and tubing at two of its hostels.
Chikunda then submitted three different bids under three companies – Stars Electric and Hardware, Erdington Investments and Tansoni Investments – without the consent of the companies’ directors.
The scam was later unearthed during vetting of the tender bids, leading to Chikunda’s arrest.
Chikunda was, however, spared a custodial term and had nine months of his sentence suspended on condition of good behavior, while the remainder were also suspended on condition that he completed 525 hours of community service at Ivene Clinic in Gweru.
