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Fairness Moyana Hwange Court Correspondent
A TEACHER at Hwange High school was lucky to escape jail after he changed the date of his uncle’s death and tried to claim $5 000 from a funeral assurance company.

Mkhululi Moyo, a court heard, signed up for an Old Mutual Funeral cash plan policy through its Hwange branch agent, Standard Chartered Bank on 29 February this year.

The policy, which also covered his uncle, Never Ncube, had a funeral benefit claim of $5 000 which had a waiting period of three months before maturity.

His uncle died before the end of the period and Moyo altered the date of death to make a claim.

An apologetic Moyo who pleaded guilty to fraud told provincial magistrate, Ms Rose Dube that he wanted to use the $5 000 to pay for his tuition as he was studying towards a Masters’ degree in Mathematics.

She slapped him with a 12 month prison term before conditionally suspending four months for three years. She suspended the remaining eight months on condition Moyo performs 280 hours of community service at Chilisa Secondary School.

“I wanted the money to take care of my family and to further my education.

“I apologise. I was very wrong and I pray that this court may be lenient with me as I’m the bread winner. I’m also taking care of my elderly mother,” pleaded Moyo.

Prosecuting, Ms Loveness Maseko said the policy’s waiting period was supposed to expire on 31 May 2016.

She said on 13 July Moyo made a claim of $5 000 indicating that his uncle had died on 30 May.

“Before the money could be released, Tawanda Marenga, a forensic investigator discovered an anomaly with the date of death that Moyo had entered in his claim forms,” said the prosecutor.

“Investigations established that a police report recorded at Lubimbi police base indicated that Ncube had died on 20 April and not 30 May as alluded to by Moyo. This meant that deceased had died before his funeral policy was mature hence was not eligible for the payout.”

She said an Old Mutual representative reported the matter to the police citing potential prejudice as Moyo had faked his uncle’s death date.