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Yeukai Karengezeka Court Correspondent

An N Richards Group employee appeared in court last Friday accused of stealing over US$17 000 from the cash office and counterfeiting a payment voucher for US$18 800 supposedly made by a customer.

Simba Shelton Piroro, a customer help desk consultant at the wholesaler, appeared before Harare magistrate Mr Dennis Mangosi charged with fraud and was admitted to US$200 bail.

The State alleged that on February 24, Piroro with accomplice Tatenda Liberty Jumbe, who is still at large, completed the day cash up form at around 3.16pm purporting that a customer named Prince Chivandire had made purchases at N. Richards for goods worth US$18 800 when no such payment was made.

Jumbe misrepresented that the sale was done at till three operated by Debra Kariwo, but she refused to sign the cash pick-up since there was no such cash in her till.

On the same day, at around 4pm, Piroro and Jumbe went to Chegutu to collect US$18 800 from Mr Chivandire, but did not hand in the money.

But following his payment, a truck was loaded with the ordered goods and they were duly delivered to Mr Chivandire.

At around 6:12pm, Piroro entered the company cash offices manned by Jumbe and left a satchel inside.

It is alleged that Jumbe took drinks from the satchel and stashed cash from the office.

At around 6.20pm, Piroro returned to the cash office to collect the bag with all the activity being captured on CCTV.

On February 28, the complainant, Balmain Stores trading as N. Richards Group Wholesale, discovered the offence through head of Audit, Shelter Sharara and after cash reconciliation was done a report was made to the police.

Of the US$37 671 cash and goods lost, nothing was recovered.