Zimbabwe: School Headmaster Jailed for Diverting Pupils' Exam Fees

2 September 2025
263Chat (Harare)
By Elia Ntali

A headmaster in Bindura has been jailed for stealing money entrusted to him for pupils' exam fees.

Kudakwashe Tivarige (35) Headmaster at Sunrise Group of Schools in Maravanyika Village under Chief Masembura was convicted by the Bindura Magistrates' Court of Theft of Trust Property after diverting US$792 meant for 2025 Grade Seven examinations.

Between February 2024 and January 2025, 12 pupils had paid their Zimbabwe Schools Examination Council (ZIMSEC) fees through the school's accounts office.

Sunrise is not a registered exam centre and the school directors instructed Tivarige to register the pupils at Dengu Primary School.

Instead, he pocketed the funds falsely claiming the pupils had been registered at Maravanyika Primary School.

The fraud came to light when school director Martha Masiachengo cross-checked with ZIMSEC and discovered the children had not been registered.

A police report was filed at ZRP Manhenga leading to Tivarige's arrest.

The court sentenced him to 12 months in prison, with three months suspended for good behaviour and another three months suspended on condition he restitutes the money, the remaining 6 months converted to 245 hours of community service at Manhenga Clinic.

Read the original article on 263Chat.

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