Barely a few weeks after he appeared before the town’s magistrate facing charges of acquiring his job at the local authority using a fake University of Zimbabwe degree, he was back in court last week facing fresh charges of theft. Gwelo, 37, appeared before magistrate Ruramai Chitambura facing charges of coveting council’s US$10 000 for personal use.
The court heard that on August 2 this year, while still the Chief Executive Officer of the BRDC, Gwelo was summoned to go to Harare with council chairman Gilbert Jonga and finance committee chairman Eken Mpofu. They were asked by Dany Kasukuwere, who is the owner of Haingate Agro Equipment, to collect US$30 000 for the lease of BRDC property.
The three received cash on behalf of the local authority, but Mpofu and Jonga entrusted Gwelo to hand over the money to the town’s treasurer, Blessing Nyamunokora. Gwelo is alleged to have handed over US$20 000 and pocketed the rest. On August 4, Hangaite general manager phoned the council official requesting a receipt for the US$30 000, but was told only $20 000 was received. When Gwelo was asked about the missing cash, he is alleged to have lied that he had left the cash with Hangaite secretary and was going to collect it after finalization of a labour dispute which was before the High Court.
Gwelo is said to have asked Nyamunokora to receipt US$30 000, but he refused. Nyamunokora later succumbed. A week later Nyamunokora and Muzuvi approached Gwelo and asked for the missing balance, but Gwelo asked them to treat US$5 000 as his salary arrears and promised to pay the remainder after sourcing it from Media, Information and Publicity minister Webster Shamu. Jonga reported the matter to the now acting Chief Executive officer, Cuthbert Huvayi. who advised Jonga to report the matter to the police, leading to Gwelos arrest.
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