Accountant, accomplice swindle $268 million from War Vets Ministry

Elijah Mucherahondo (37) and Panganai Munodawafa (46) appeared before Harare magistrate Mrs Appollonia Marutya charged with fraud. The Ministry is represented by the legal officer Beck Christopher Maphosa.

Yeukai Karengezeka-Court Correspondent

Two members of staff of the Ministry of Veterans of the Liberation Struggle Affairs have appeared in court for allegedly defrauding their employer of $268 million after creating ghost school fees accounts for war veterans’ children.

Mucherahondo is an assistant accountant responsible for preparing the final list of school fees beneficiaries to be forwarded to the Chief Accountant for payment, while Munodawafa is employed in data capture.

The State alleged that from January 2020 to September 2023 they created ghost schools and beneficiaries which they used to siphon money from the Ministry.

They would forward take fake lists to the chief accountant for payment. The offence was discovered after an audit was done and unearthed that the two had stolen a total of $268 648 594. The Ministry has a constitutional mandate to pay statutory benefits, including school fees, to veterans of the liberation struggle and their dependants.

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