HARARE - Two Mashonaland Tobacco Company (MTC) employees who allegedly siphoned over $80 000 from the company through fraudulent means have appeared before a Harare magistrate.

Enos Tapiwa Mushumi, 31, and Thelma Kusanganya, 25, appeared before magistrate Olivia Mariga on fraud charges.

The two, who are data capture clerks at MTC are being charged separately.

The court heard their duties are to register MTC tobacco contracted farmers, ordering of inputs, invoicing and raising delivery notes for payments in respect of all deliveries of tobacco to MTC.

Mushumi and Kasangaya allegedly swindled the company of more than $66 000 and $17 000 respectively.

The court heard that between March to May this year, the duo swindled the company by creating fake delivery notes for payments by MTC.

The duo allegedly forged delivery notes purporting their relatives had rendered tobacco delivery services to MTC when in fact no service would have been provided.

As a result of the misrepresentation, the court heard, the company paid money supposedly destined to the service providers, yet the two were pocketing the funds.

The offence came to light last month after the senior data capture clerk, Joan Kembo discovered the fraudulent transfers.

The matter was reported to the police leading to the duo’s arrest.

MTC suffered an actual prejudice of $83 392, 38 and nothing was recovered.

Mushumi and Kasangaya were released on $300 and $200 bail respectively.

They will be back in court on November 13. - Ivan Zhakata