NPRC Auditor Joseph Mufambisi Penalized for Using Fraudulent Credentials

A National Peace and Reconciliation Commission (NPRC) auditor, Joseph Mufambisi, received a $300 fine from Harare magistrate Donald Ndirowei for securing employment with a falsified qualification.

Mufambisi faces a three-month jail term if he fails to settle the fine, following his conviction for misrepresentation. The case, led by State representative Albert Mbabvu, NPRC’s Human Resources and Administration General Manager, exposed significant fraud.

In June 2021, NPRC advertised for an Internal Auditor, setting stringent qualifications—a Degree in Accounting or a Higher National Diploma in Accountancy. Mufambisi, lacking these, applied nonetheless.

To bolster his application, Mufambisi falsely claimed on his resume to possess a Higher National Diploma (HND) in Accountancy, fully aware that this assertion was deceptive.

During the recruitment, Mufambisi and two other candidates, Owen Chiweshe and Patience Njenje, were shortlisted. However, as the other candidates declined, he was offered the role, which he accepted in September 2021.

Upon assuming the post, NPRC’s Salary Service Bureau requested a certified copy of his HND certificate for record-keeping. Shortly afterward, Mufambisi reported an accident, delaying his certificate submission.

By March 2022, an internal NPRC audit revealed Mufambisi had yet to produce this required diploma. Persistent requests yielded no result, leading to suspicions and further scrutiny of his qualifications.

Investigations unveiled that Mufambisi’s academic record showed he had only completed four of eleven HND subjects. Prosecutor Tendai Tapi charged that Mufambisi’s deliberate misrepresentation aimed to deceive NPRC and secure the auditor position fraudulently.

The prosecutor further argued that Mufambisi’s fraudulent representation harmed NPRC’s administration and undermined the fairness of its recruitment process, creating disadvantages for other qualified applicants

The Zim Bulletin