Ex-Minister Kagonye CONVICTED, to be sentenced today

FORMER Labour and Social Welfare Minister Petronella Kagonye is set to be sentenced today after she was convicted of theft of trust property yesterday.

Kagonye was remanded in custody following her conviction.

The laptops which she stole were meant to be donated to schools in her constituency in Goromonzi.

In analysing the evidence, Magistrate Guwuriro said it was common cause that she received the laptops and she didn’t distribute them as instructed by POTRAZ.

“It’s common cause that Kagonye received the 20 laptops which were handed over to Cathrine Befura her PA, who gave them to Matimura who was part of the campaign team.

“The question that the court had to deal with was whether the laptops were given under trust or were they a donation to assist her to her campaign and whether or not they were trust as in was it property which she was meant to account for.

“She had the duty to account for the laptops and provide the list to POTRAZ, according to her, she said the laptops were to be given to the needy and she wasn’t actively involved in the distribution.

“She never insisted on the need to account for the beneficiaries and claimed that the obligation never existed and it appears that out of ignorance she never signed the handover form as required.

-hmetro