A Harare magistrate’s court heard on Saturday how Chipo Molly Machokonera, a 40-year-old administration secretary at the Apostolic Faith Mission’s Shalom Assembly in Westlea, allegedly defrauded her church of over US$21,000. Machokonera, of Dzivarasekwa Extension, appeared before magistrate Isheanesu Matova facing charges of theft. She was released on US$100 bail and is due back in court on January 17 for a possible trial date.
The prosecution, led by Rufaro Chonzi, detailed how Machokonera, employed as the church’s administration secretary, allegedly manipulated bank deposit slips over a period starting in January 2023. Her responsibilities included receiving tithes and offerings from congregants and depositing a portion of these funds into a Steward Bank account.
However, the court heard that Machokonera allegedly misappropriated a total of US$21,904, diverting these funds for her personal use. To conceal her actions, she reportedly created fraudulent deposit slips, falsely indicating that the money had been deposited into the Steward Bank Joina City branch. These fabricated slips were then submitted to the church board, who, unaware of the deception, believed the funds had been safely deposited.
The alleged crime came to light on December 10, 2023, when the church requested a bank statement from Steward Bank. This request revealed the shocking truth: the US$21,904 was never deposited. A subsequent internal audit confirmed the misappropriation of funds, prompting the church to report the matter to the police.
The state intends to use copies of bank statements, clearly showing the missing US$21,904, as well as the forged deposit slips, as evidence during the trial. The prosecution confirmed that none of the stolen money has been recovered.
