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Lovemore Meya Court Correspondent
An ex-Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa) employee, who illegally connected water to 25 residences in Dema and demanded connection fees from beneficiaries was convicted by a Chitungwiza court on Friday.

Through the connections fees and the fixed charges he levied on his victims, Tendai Mashoko (38), pocketed $6 811.

Mashoko, who was stationed at Dema Growth Point as Water Supply Operator, also faced charges of prejudicing his employer of $17 977 in revenue for the 14 292 mega litres of water consumed by the residents from 2011.

Mashoko denied charges of criminal abuse of office and 25 counts of fraud when he appeared before Chitungwiza resident magistrate Mr Francis Mapfumo.

He was found guilty of 23 counts of fraud and acquitted on two other counts as the complainants failed to testify.

He was remanded in custody to today for sentencing.

During trial, Mashoko claimed that the charges were trumped up by his former employer as a way of fixing him for demanding his benefits.

While delivering his judgment, Mr Mapfumo said: “One of the witnesses, Mabasa Dzikiti, a village head, testified that the accused did the connections dating back to 2011 and also compiled names of all the people who were illegally connected by the accused.

“This was also the same evidence brought in court by other 22 complainants who said how you misrepresented to them that you were still a Zinwa employee, illegally connecting them. However, they came to realise that you duped them of their money after being approached by Zinwa officials to pay for legal connection fees.”

Mr Mapfumo dismissed the $17 977 claim raised by Zinwa, saying an employee from the statutory body never mentioned how the figure was calculated.

The State successfully proved that Mashoko, whose duties included water production and treatment, would ask for kickbacks to illegally connect residents in different villages in Seke.

The matter was unearthed in 2015 when he was transferred to Murombedzi after being replaced by another operator identified as Muturikwa.

Dema residents started complaining to Zinwa that they were no longer getting tap water as before, leading to revelations that they were not supposed to be connected in the first place.