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Abigail Mawonde Herald Correspondent
Parents are disputing the Seke 1 High School audit results claiming it covered up a number of fraudulent activities.

They are now demanding an urgent forensic audit.

The parents accuse officials within the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education of covering up for school head Mr Crispian Taruvinga.

Mr Taruvinga was recently suspended for three months.

According to documents in The Herald’s possession, the School Development Committee wrote to the Harare provincial education director, Mr Christopher Kateera, in February this year, disputing the audit results.

In a letter dated February 24, 2016, the SDC wrote: “This communication serves to inform your office of the receipt of final audit report on Seke 1 High School. Unfortunately Seke 1 High School is left wondering as to the contents of that report.

“It is not in sync with what is on the ground in terms of massive evidence on fraudulent issues and in fact attempts to cover up.”

The SDC demanded a forensic audit.

“Our request to your office is the commissioning of a forensic audit, failure of which we will be left with no option but to publicise the inefficiency of your office on the cover-up of the massive fraud committed by the headmaster. What baffles the mind is why an auditor attempts to abuse office by covering up massive fraud committed against the parents.”

The SDC demanded proof that the school borehole was drilled by Dore & Pitt for $19 000.

It costs an average $3 000 to drill a borehole.

The school only transferred $9 000 via Real Time Gross Settlement and the whereabouts of the balance $10 000 is a mystery.

The SDC says it has evidence that a school bus worth $4 000 was “refurbished” for $27 000.

The bus was still unroadworthy despite the refurbishment.

The SDC also wants the audit to explain the financial implications of 11 receipt books that went missing at the school, saying these could have been used to siphon school funds.

In his letter to Mr Taruvinga on the audit update, Chitungwiza acting district education officer Mr B. Chimhanda indicated that the school was only prejudiced about $4 000 instead of $211 000 being alleged by parents.

“The total amount verified by the audit was $3 569,52. The figure established was not close to $211 000 as alleged,” said Mr Chimhanda.

Suspending Mr Taruvinga on June 9, 2016, Mr Chimhanda wrote: “Your peformance of duties was found to be inefficient and incompetent when you, (a) failed to supervise the accounting assistants Mr M. Manize, Miss Shamba N, and Ms Muzorori A, leading to a total prejudice of $4 217,72; (b) Failed to properly advise the School Development Association on correct procurement procedures for goods and services resulting in the school paying Dore & Pitt $19 000,00 for drilling a borehole at the school, an amount that was different from $9 045,67 that was signed on the doc- ument.”

Mr Chimhanda also accused Mr Taruvinga of failing to remit PAYE and Aids levy deducted from employees’ salaries, and failing to secure receipt books.