Filabusi resident magistrate converts court fees to his own use.

A Filabusi resident magistrate was recently convicted of theft of trust property after making away with money belonging to the JSC and later replacing it with electronic money from his own account. Mzingaye Ephraim Moyo received ZWL$962 cash in judicial fines, court fees, and bail reimbursements which he was supposed to deposit into the JSC accounts. He only deposited ZWL$ 531 into the bank accounts and converted the rest to his own use before replacing it with his own electronic money.

Moyo pleaded that he was not guilty of theft of trust property as he had replaced the money with his own but he was found guilty and convicted. He was sentenced to 20 days in jail or optionally to pay a fine of ZWL$ 500. In passing judgment Bulawayo magistrate Lizwe Jamula stated,”The accused’s defence is merely an attempt to justify his actions by explaining the motive behind his actions…The evidence establishes that the terms under which he held the funds did not authorize him to handle electronic money as he did”.