Zimpapers Logo

Dr Gideon Gono

Harare Bureau
FORMER Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Governor Dr Gideon Gono yesterday took an accountant at his Lunar Chickens (Pvt) Ltd to court on allegations of posting fictitious transactions onto the Pastel accounting system, swindling him of about $200,000.George Farai Chambara (41), of Knowe Phase 2, Norton, appeared before Harare magistrate Donald Ndirowei facing 42 fraud charges.

Ndirowei remanded him to August 15 on $100 bail. Chambara produced a letter he wrote to Commissioner-General of Police Augustine Chihuri in court.

In the letter he claimed to have been whipped by Dr Gono but no action was taken by the police despite reporting the assault.

“On June 3 this year I was subjected to inhuman and degrading conduct reminiscent of the dark ages of slavery and colonialism. I was whipped by the Supreme Chairman, one Dr Gideon Gono, on unfounded allegations of stealing undisclosed company information.

“In a bid to frustrate my labour claims, the employer is now trumping up charges of fraud and in the process clearly abusing services of the police force,” reads the letter.

The complainant in the matter is Lunar Chickens (Pvt) Ltd represented by its special project executive, George Mashonganyika.

The court heard that Lunar Chickens (Pvt) Ltd is a company in the business of poultry breeding and distribution.

Prosecutor Sharon Mashavira said Chambara was employed by Lunar Chickens (Pvt) Ltd as an accountant on slaughter land department.

Chambara’s duties included ensuring that all petty cash requisitions were supported by duly approved and authorised requisitions.

He was also responsible for posting of cash transactions onto the Pastel accounting system after ensuring that all transactions were up to standard purchasing procedures.

It is alleged that between October 7, 2013 and March 28 this year, Chambara created and posted several fictitious transactions to the Pastel accounting system.

Chambara allegedly misrepresented that he had paid for expenses including fuel, poly bags, scalding tank elements, staff uniforms and chemicals.

The transactions were allegedly fraudulent as there were no supporting documents as required and no goods were received by the company. Lunar Chickens (Pvt) Ltd allegedly lost $203,025 and nothing was recovered.