Mutare Builder Jailed After Defrauding Halsteds of Over US$2,000 in Construction Materials
A builder from Mutare has landed in jail after defrauding Halsteds Builders of construction materials valued at more than US$2,000.
Thembelani Siziba, 29, reportedly forged the invoice to steal construction materials from the hardware store.
How a US$32 Purchase Turned Into a US$2,132 Scam
Siziba appeared before Magistrate Honest Musiyiwa on Thursday.
According to H-Metro Siziba, together with two unidentified accomplices, visited Halsteds Builders’ Mutare branch on July 14 and made a genuine purchase worth US$32.96.
The items included one IBR Chromadek Kalahari sheet, three metres of brick force, and some electrical conduit pipes.
But the small transaction was just the beginning of a larger scam.
“Siziba fraudulently altered the invoice to read US$2,132.96. He also changed the time on the invoice from 11:10 hours to 12:10 hours to avoid detection,” said prosecutor Joice Tinarwo.
Using the forged document, Siziba proceeded to the dispatch department where materials listed on the altered invoice were loaded into his truck.
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Sharp-Eyed Staff Member Foils the Scheme
The fraud might have gone undetected — if not for a vigilant Halsteds employee. The large quantity of roofing sheets being loaded raised suspicion, prompting the staff member to double-check the invoice against the store’s internal system.
The discrepancy was quickly flagged, and Halsteds management confirmed that the original transaction was significantly smaller.
Siziba was arrested shortly afterward, and some of the roofing sheets were recovered before he had a chance to offload them.
Court Unmoved by Defence
In his defence, Siziba claimed he was merely acting under instructions and was unaware of the invoice forgery. But Magistrate Musiyiwa found his version unconvincing.
“The court cannot ignore the fact that you tampered with official documents, manipulated a legitimate transaction into a fraudulent one, and tried to make a quick fortune at someone else’s expense. Your actions were premeditated and not a matter of mistake or ignorance,” the magistrate said.
“You carefully altered official documents to steal from a company that trusted its systems and employees. You exploited those systems with the hope of walking away undetected.
“A custodial sentence is necessary to send a strong message that the courts will not be lenient with those who abuse trust and corporate structures for personal gain.”
Sentencing
Siziba was convicted of fraud and sentenced to 12 months in prison. Two months were suspended for five years on condition of good behaviour, leaving him with ten months of effective jail time.
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The post Mutare Builder Jailed After Altering Invoice in Elaborate US$2K Fraud Scheme at Halsteds appeared first on iHarare News.
