City of Harare cashier in court for fraud and forg...

City of Harare cashier in court for fraud and forgery

Michael Mashiri

A City of Harare cashier, who was stationed at Rowan Martin Building, has been arraigned to court after allegedly tendering a fake receipt to a customer.

Melody Sevenzai, 41, of Glen View 2, appeared before magistrate Dennis Mangosi at the Harare Magistrates’ Courts facing forgery and fraud allegations.

The State, through prosecutor Zebediah Bofu, alleges that in early July 2023, the complainant in this matter, Priscilla Mhlakaza, 43, wanted to transfer stand number 337 Guilford Estate in Harare into the name of Brookview Trust since she had sold the stand.

Mhlakaza wanted to make a payment of ZWL$425 152 072.09 for endowment assessment of the City of Harare, and as a result she approached Sevenzai.

Sevenzai was a custodian of blank City of Harare receipts.

In the same month of July, Sevenzai allegedly lied to the City of Harare that she had used a City of Harare receipt number, 13131554, yet she had stolen the blank receipt, working together with Frank Jacob, Kudzai Mazanza, Leon Maroero, Brian Ticky and Tapiwa Gona, who are already remanded out of custody.

Sevenzai allegedly used the receipt and lied to Mhlakaza that a payment of ZWL$425 152 072.09 had been made to City of Harare while knowing it was a fake receipt.

When Mhlakaza went with the forged receipt it was discovered by the City of Harare that the receipt was fake, causing Mhlakaza to make a police report and Sevenzai was eventually arrested.

Mangosi ordered Sevenzai to deposit US$500 as bail.

She will appear in court on October 12, for her routine remand.