Acting headmaster who lost exam papers arrested

An acting headmaster who cost the Zimbabwean government US$996 000 after losing 13 exam papers at Renkini Country Bus Terminus in Bulawayo was arrested on Thursday and charged with theft.

Panganayi Zimunhu (31) the acting headmaster of Sijawugwe Secondary in Bubi District, Matabeleland was on Thursday taken to the Western Commonage Magistrates’ Court in handcuffs but released because of insufficient facts.

The State case is that on 12 October this year, at about 3pm, Zimunhu went to the Zimbabwe School Examinations Council Matabeleland North offices in Bulawayo where he collected November 2012 ‘O’ Level examination papers.

These were English Language (Paper 1 and 2), nine copies each, Mathematics non-calculator version (Paper 1 and 2), nine copies, Integrated Science (Paper 1 and 2), 10 copies each and Geography (Paper 1 and 2) eight copies each.

After collecting the papers, Zimunhu allegedly did not proceed to the school where he was supposed to go but instead, he diverted the papers to an unknown destination. The missing papers are valued at US$236.

In his warned and cautioned statement, Zimunhu denied the charge being laid against him. He only admitted to collecting the mentioned examination papers.

“Upon collection, I then hired a taxi to Entumbane where I stay. I went to Entumbane since there were no buses to go back to my school. The following day I went to Renkini Country Bus Terminus at around 8am using public transport where I boarded a Siganda-bound commuter omnibus.”

Zimunhu said along the way they passed through Mzilikazi Service Station and that he checked on the cardboard box and established that it was still there and intact.

“We travelled for about 20km along Nkayi Road and again I checked the cardboard box, but I discovered that it was no longer there. I then ordered the driver to stop and we made a U-turn tracing back for about five kilometres.

“We failed to locate the cardboard box. I dropped off the commuter omnibus and again started tracing back all the way to Renkini Country Bus Terminus with negative results.”

He denied stealing the examination papers.

Zimsec has since withdrawn 13 Ordinary level examination papers after the loss of the examination papers. The timetables for the examination, however, remain unchanged and would start on 29 October as scheduled.

It cost Zimsec US$996 000 to print examination question papers for the 286 343 candidates who registered for the O’ Level examinations.

Meanwhile, the national co-ordinator of the Progressive Teachers Union (PTUZ) Enoch Paradzai was yesterday arrested for allegedly interfering with the investigations into the disappearance of the examination papers.

Paradzai reportedly interfered with police officers at West Commonage Police Station after visiting Zimunhu who was arrested at Mzilikazi Police Station on Tuesday. PTUZ Bulawayo provincial chairperson Mr Vusumuzi Mahlangu confirmed the arrest.

“While we were at West Commonage Police Station, Mr Zimunhu was asked to sign some papers and Mr Paradzai told the police officers to wait for Mr Zimunhu’s lawyer before they could make him sign the papers.

“The police officers then arrested Mr Paradzai for interfering with their work,” said Mr Mahlangu.