Kumalo head acquitted of all criminal charges
SUSPENDED Kumalo Primary School headmistress, Stella Mhlanga, has been acquitted of all criminal charges in a case in which she was accused of embezzling school funds, bringing an end to a matter that has gripped the Bulawayo education sector for months.
Mhlanga, who was relieved of her duties in July this year at the height of the controversy, had been facing allegations of misappropriating thousands of dollars in school development funds.
However, she has since been cleared of the charges by Bulawayo magistrate Mr Richard Ramaboea, who ruled that the State had failed to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt.
In his judgment, Mr Ramaboea said the prosecution’s evidence was riddled with inconsistencies, lacked proper documentation, and relied heavily on unsubstantiated assumptions rather than concrete proof.
During the trial, several teachers and School Development Committee (SDC) members testified, but most failed to provide definitive proof that Mhlanga personally handled or diverted the funds. Financial audit documents presented in court also failed to clearly link the alleged missing amounts to her.
Mhlanga and four other staff members were accused of embezzling school funds through a well-calculated scheme, allegedly defrauding the institution of more than US$12 000.
The matter first came to light in February when the SDC flagged inconsistencies in the school’s financial records.
The irregularities prompted a Government-led audit, which subsequently led to the arrest of the suspects.
When the accused were arrested, Bulawayo provincial police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Nomalanga Msebele provided details on how the alleged fraud was uncovered.
“Sometime in January this year, a workshop for Government bursars was held in Inyathi, organised by the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education. During the session, facilitators asked bursars with unbalanced books to come forward.
“One of the suspects, Magwaku, stood up, raising suspicions,” said Assistant Inspector Msebele.
During break time, another bursar reportedly approached Magwaku to enquire further, but Magwaku allegedly became evasive.
Upon returning to Kumalo Primary School, a Government bursar examined the school’s financial records and discovered that US$2 000 was missing.
A review revealed significant misappropriation of funds involving multiple staff members.
According to Assistant Inspector Msebele, Mhlanga allegedly signed for US$7 835 in levy payments but only banked US$2 727, with the remaining US$5 108 reportedly converted to personal use.
Maiswe is alleged to have signed for US$2 574 but banked only US$20, leaving US$2 554 unaccounted for.
Magwaku reportedly failed to account for US$502 she collected from pupils, while the two Sibandas are accused of converting US$1 091 and US$630 respectively to their own use.
The SDC, through its treasurer Vimbai Rudenya, also reported the case to the police’s Commercial Crime Unit under case number CRB 6312/025.
According to the Education Act (Chapter 25:04), the headmistress is responsible for maintaining accurate and up-to-date financial records, including accounts, ledgers and other financial statements.
The Act also mandates that school heads exercise strict financial control to ensure funds are not misused. Chronicle
