Finance manager steals US$77 000 from churches’ um...

Finance manager steals US$77 000 from churches’ umbrella body

Michael Mashiri

The Evangelical Fellowship of Zimbabwe has lost US$76 758 to its finance manager after he created falsified recepts.

Taurai Simango, 48, of Picnic Park, Waterfalls appeared before magistrate Evelyn Mashavakure accused of fraud, violating Section 136 of the Criminal Law Codification and Reform Act, Chapter 9.23.

Complainant in the matter is Evangelical Fellowship of Zimbabwe being represented by Trever Masuku.

Evangelical Fellowship of Zimbabwe is the umbrella body for evangelical and Pentecostal churches in Zimbabwe and receives cash subscriptions, offerings and donations.

Simango who was employed there as the finance manager had roles of overseeing the finance department, advise management of financial issues, produce financial document to the management, overall management of financial resources and liaison between donor partners in the organisation.

The court through, Zebediah Bofu, alleges that, from January 30, 2020 to September 2020, Simango lied on different occasions that he had paid cash to different suppliers yet he had not paid anything to them.

He came up with fake receipts claiming that he had received them from suppliers as proof of payment which he would give to the organisation.

An audit revealed that the purported suppliers never gave any service to Evangelical Fellowship of Zimbabwe.

As a result the Fellowship lost a total amount of US$76 758 and nothing has been recovered.

Mashavakure gave ZWL$150 000 bail. She ordered him to appear on May 4, 2023 for routine remand.