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Michael Magoronga, Midlands Correspondent

A Kwekwe High School teacher who allegedly fleeced desperate parents who were searching for Form One places at the school has been suspended pending investigations.

Dicosta Zimhende, a History teacher, working in cahoots with a School Development Committee (SDC) clerk, Sham Mwarowa, allegedly demanded up $750 from parents to secure Form One places for their children.

The duo has been suspended to pave way for investigations into the matter which also involved.

Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education director of communication and advocacy, Mr Taungana Ndoro confirmed the development saying the matter was also reported to the police.

“The case was reported to the ZRP fraud section and we are still awaiting outcome. Investigations by the ministry are ongoing and the teacher was charged and suspended. Police are saying the outcome is still pending so we keep waiting,” said Mr Ndoro.

He said learners who were allegedly swindled were accommodated into Form One at the school to ‘minimize effects of the fraud on their education without compromising the SOP implementation.”

Zimhende and Mwarowa allegedly demanded money ranging from US$80 to US$750 after promising parents and guardians places for their children at the school.

After making the payments, the parents would then be directed to the clerk where they would make payments and get receipts and other requirements.

The issue only came to light on the opening day when school authorities discovered that there was an extra class of about 30 pupils, prompting the school head Mr Nelson Shumba to launch an investigation.