Mzuni student appears in court for ‘cashgate style’ scam: Pleads not guilty
Mzuzu University (Mzuni) student Dumisani Kagunga Kaunga, accused of defrauding the university more than K2.2 million ($3 175)) in a mini Cashgate-like scam appeared at Mzuzu Magistrate court on Monday.
Kagunga Kaunga, a final year bachelor of science in biomedical science student, was arrested for hoodwinking the university’s treasury by creating 12 ghost students who periodically received K40 000 ($58) upkeep allowance each.
He faces Forgery and Theft charges.
The student, who is on bail, pleaded not quilty.
State Prosecutor Lyson Kachikindo paraded two before Senior Resident Magistrate Austin Banda.
The first to testify was Vyson Jedegwa, Registrar of Mzuni and thereafter Matinda Zgambo who is secretary to Dean of Students at Mzuni.
The case has so far been adjourned to 16th August 2016 where the State is expected to continue parading its witnesses.So far the State has left with five witnesses to testify.
It is reported that between September 2013 and 2014, Kaunga used his standing as treasurer of Mzuzu University Student Union to enrol ghost students for whom he allegedly opened account numbers in various banks —Standard Bank, NBS Bank and Malawi Savings Bank— where he fraudulently channelled the money under dispute.
Forensic document examination conducted at National Police Headquarters in Lilongwe indicated the suspect authored the bank account details.
The accused, 27, comes from Mwabuwira in Paramount Chief Chikulamayembe in Rumphi.
Kaunga’s case last year was the second involving alleged fraud by university students. In March, a student at Catholic University of Malawi in Chiradzulu sucked K15 million from the institution using forged and stamped bank deposit slips that purportedly showed he had paid fees through the bank.
Follow and Subscribe Nyasa TV :
