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Walter Mswazie,Masvingo Correspondent
TWO N Richards Wholesale employees in Masvingo have appeared in court for allegedly defrauding the company of $47 000.

The fraud was uncovered following an audit.

The audit established that some sales receipts did not tally with the money which was deposited into the supermarket’s account.

Chiedza Gwatidzo (51) and Jamila Valentine (69) all of Eastvale suburb pleaded not guilty to fraud charges when they appeared before Masvingo magistrate Ms Sibonginkosi Mkandla yesterday.

The two were remanded out of custody to October 13 for trial.

Gwatidzo and Valentine who were represented by Mr Phillip Shumba of Mutendi and Shumba Legal Practitioners denied having defrauded their employer.

They said the accounting system could have reflected wrong figures.

Mr Shumba said while his clients were responsible for collecting cash and cash sale receipts, there could have been wrong programming on the machines resulting in the system producing wrong figures.

For the State Ms Makaita Chikamhi said between last November and December, Gwatidzo and Valentine who worked as finance clerks collected cash from the till , signed for it and handed it over to the cash office for banking purposes.

The cash sale receipts and the stamped deposit slips for the money deposited into the bank did not add up leading to the auditors interviewing Gwatidzo and Valentine.

“Sometime last month an audit was done and it was realised that $46 997 52 was not accounted for. A report to the company management was made. Gwatidzo and Valentine were interviewed over the matter but allegedly failed to explain after which a report was made to the police leading to their arrest,” said Ms Chikamhi.

@walterbmswazie2.