Opposition party Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) legislator James Sithole (45) has been dragged before the court for defrauding a local burial society money and converted it to his own personal use together with other three accomplices.
Sithole, who is the Makokoba constituency legislator, appeared before Bulawayo Magistrate Shepherd Munjanja on Tuesday to answer charges of fraud after him and other three others are being accused to have connived between 2010 and 2011 to act in misrepresentation to the society.
The State told the court that Sithole and his co-accused acted in common purpose and sent Jacob Manyange (64), one of the accused, to collect R10 000 which was being kept by Margaret Sibindi, who was the treasurer of the group according to the State.
Sithole is being charged together with Manyange, Raymond Gombeza (47) and Manyara Muzamani (49).
The prosecutor told the court that Manyange, cited as accused one, signed and collected US$144 which was restituted by Sibindi from the Clerk of Court.
Sibindi is now appearing as the state witness.
In their defense, the legislator and his co-accused’s lawyer Prince Bhutshe Dube said Sibindi, who is one of the state witnesses, is trying to “fix” his clients after they reported her to the police instead for stealing the Burial Society’s money.
The total value of the stolen money amounted to US$4250 and nothing was recovered.”
Prosecutor Leonard Chile appeared for the State.
