A CHIREDZI-BASED secondary school headmaster and his deputy have been sentenced to a wholly suspended 20-month jail term for abusing the Basic Education Assistance Module (Beam) facility.
Beam is a government program that provides financial assistance to vulnerable children to ensure they access basic education.
The duo, however, was spared an effective jail term after six months were suspended for five years, two months on condition they pay restitution while 12 months were also suspended for 420 hours of community service.
According to the National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe (NPAZ), the school officials were hauled before the Triangle Magistrates Court after it emerged that they each illegally benefited US$120 from the scheme in 2022.
In a statement on Monday, the NPAZ said authorities in Triangle, Chiredzi, launched an investigation into allegations of improper Beam enrollments involving school officials’ children, following an anonymous tip-off.
“Investigations were conducted leading to the arrest of the accused persons,” said the NPAZ.
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“The accused persons each benefited USD120 for the year 2022 as a result of the offence.”