Ruth Xaba speaks out over money

By Sophia Chese

Following the death of actress Pretty Xaba friends and relatives have crossed swords over the money that was raised for her treatment.

There have been allegations that part of the money might have been misused by close friends and relatives since an undisclosed amount was not accounted for.

Pretty succumbed to cancer of the oesophagus in New Delhi, India, early this month where she had gone for medical treatment.

Ruth Xaba, Pretty’s sister-in-law who looked after Pretty before she went to India, said she was devastated with the way some sectors of the media reported the alleged embezzlement of funds during the “Let’s help Pretty Xaba” campaign spearheaded by fellow actor Taonga Mafundikwa.

“I took care of my sister-in-law when she was not well. I did that not because I wanted something in return but because she was my aunt, now people are saying I wanted to make money out of that,” she fumed.

She said Mafundikwa did not take any cent from the funds adding all the money that was raised was given to her.

“Let it also be known that Mafundikwa surrendered all the money to me and I have all the breakdown of how the money was used,” she said.

Commenting on the issue of the $7 000 which she said was needed for the repatriation of Pretty’s body from India, Ruth denied inflating the cost.

“Those people asked me how much was needed to fly the body from India to Zimbabwe and that is when I gave them the breakdown which amounted to almost $7 000,” she said.

However, Tinotenda Katsande accused Mafundikwa and the relatives of flouting the rules of fundraising for the people in need of urgent medical treatment.

“As a person who is involved in major fundraising for children who need life-saving operations, it must be noted that the handling of public funds is very intricate and requires accountability and transparency with the family of ailing persons being at the helm of things,” she said.

Pretty was buried at her rural home in Musengezi last Sunday. The Herald