Story by Parvel Makona
A former paymaster at the Public Service Commission (PSC) has appeared in court facing charges of fraud involving nearly US$40 000 allegedly siphoned from the government payroll system through unlawful salary adjustments.
Brighton Chuzinga, aged 59, was taken to court after being accused of manipulating payroll records while employed at the Salary Service Bureau (SSB) under the Public Service Commission (PSC).
According to the State, between October and November 2018, Chuzinga allegedly altered the government payroll system and unlawfully increased his own remuneration as well as that of 26 payroll slips without the authority or approval of the Secretary to the PSC.
Prosecutors allege that Chuzinga, who served as a Paymaster at the Salary Service Bureau from 2016 to 2021, abused his access to the payroll system to effect the unauthorised adjustments.
The alleged offence came to light in November 2018 when the then General Manager of the PSC, Mr Clemence Chiweshe, discovered suspicious pay slips after the accused’s acquittal on another case.
An internal audit was subsequently conducted in 2018, focusing on the Salary Service Bureau Appropriation Account.
The audit reportedly unearthed manipulation of the government payroll system and confirmed that the accused had unlawfully increased his remuneration and that of 26 pension and payroll administrators without the approval of the Commission’s Secretary.
An audit report compiled indicated that the PSC suffered an actual prejudice of close to $US40 000, and nothing was recovered.
The accused has been granted US$200 bail and is expected back in court on May 19.
