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Fungai Lupande  Court Reporter
A 42-year-old Forestry Commission employee recently appeared in court on allegations of stealing a moisture analyser worth US$1 400.
Bobby Chimombe appeared before Harare magistrate Mr Batanai Madzingira facing charges of theft of trust property.The complainant in the matter is the Forestry Commission, represented by its seed physiologist Mr Tembani Mduduzi.

Prosecutor Mr Progress Maringamoyo alleged that on September 18 last year Chimombe wrote an internal memo requesting funds amounting to US$1 782 to purchase equipment for the seed laboratory. The memo was sent to the deputy general manager for the research and training division, the court heard.

The request was approved after five days and Chimombe supplied quotations with Sunfirm Distributers making the cheapest bid among three companies.

It is alleged that the money was adjusted to US$2 572 and it was transferred from Forestry Commission Standard Chartered Bank account to Sunfirm EcoBank account on October 8 for the purchase of a moisture analyser, water distiller and PH electrode.

The court heard that on October 29 the water distiller and PH electrode were delivered and received by Chimombe, who confirmed the receipt to the finance department. It is alleged that sometime in October this year the finance department requested serial numbers of the purchased instruments.
Chimombe allegedly supplied serial number 851101 for the moisture analyser and it was later discovered that the given serial number was for an old digital counter.

Chimombe was later quizzed about the missing moisture analyser and said he was not aware that the equipment was paid for. The Commission visited Sunfirm Distributors on October 29 and they confirmed delivery of the equipment.

The Forestry Commission lost US$1 400 and nothing was recovered. Chimombe was remanded to November 24 on US$100 bail.