By Staff Reporter
MASVINGO – In a dramatic turn of events, Masvingo Provincial Education Director
Shylatte Mhike and Provincial Finance Director Liniah Chinoda have been demoted and
transferred by the Public Service Commission, despite being acquitted of corruption
charges by the courts earlier this year.
Highly placed sources at the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education
headquarters confirmed to TellZim News that the two officials will be served with their
transfer and demotion letters this week.
Mhike has reportedly been demoted to Provincial Director of Education Services in
Mashonaland East, effectively stripping her of the PED title and responsibilities. The
fate of Chinoda remains unclear, with sources indicating her new posting is yet to be
finalised.
“Mhike and Chinoda were demoted and will be transferred from Masvingo. Mhike will be
transferred to Mashonaland East, and Chinoda’s deployment is yet to be finalised. I am
sure the communication will reach the province this week,” said the source.
Contacted for comment, Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education Director of
Communications Taungana Ndoro could neither confirm nor deny the latest
development, releasing a carefully worded statement.
“The Ministry wishes to advise that all human resource matters within the public service
are handled in accordance with the established procedures and regulations governing
the Public Service Commission. The PSC is the competent authority mandated to
determine matters relating to the appointment, discipline, and status of public officers.
Where the PSC has made determinations arising from audit findings or any other
statutory processes, the Ministry respects those determinations and ensures that they
are implemented in line with the relevant public service regulations. However, it is not
the practice of the Ministry to discuss individual personnel matters in the public domain,
as these are internal processes that must be handled with the confidentiality and
professionalism they deserve. The Ministry remains committed to upholding the highest
standards of transparency, accountability, and good governance across all its
structures,” said Ndoro.
The source further said the two were found guilty by the Public Service Commission on
different but almost related charges to the ones they were acquitted of by the courts.
The source said their case was related to a Chiredzi trip where they were allegedly paid
travel and subsistence despite not having travelled.
The two high-ranking officials were dragged to court by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption
Commission in early 2025 on charges of criminal abuse of duty as public officers. The
charges stemmed from allegations that they made false T&S claims amounting to
US$600 each for an accounts verification exercise in Chivi that they allegedly never
attended. The trial, which began in August 2025, had 11 witnesses lined up to testify
against the three accused. The State alleged that Mhike and Chinoda had connived and
coerced Chivi district education accountant Tapiwa Mapindani to process the fraudulent
payments. Chinoda was also accused of violating her bail conditions by allegedly
interfering with witnesses.
In April 2026, after a trial that had dragged on for nearly two years, Regional Magistrate
Innocent Bepura acquitted Mhike, Chinoda, and their co-accused, Chivi District Schools
Inspector Evershine Ndongwe, ruling that the State evidence was “inconsistent,
confusing and unreliable”. The court found there was no proof of misrepresentation by
the accused, and the prosecution had failed to meet the required standard of proof.
The demotions come despite the court’s exoneration, suggesting that internal
disciplinary processes, possibly related to separate audit findings, have resulted in
administrative action against the officials.
It is also yet to be established whether Ndongwe, who was acquitted alongside them,
has been affected by the PSC’s administrative actions. However, the source said
Ndongwe had another case where he claimed T&S from Ngundu High School for
travelling to Bulawayo to collect a school bus. He allegedly collected T&S from the
school and also collected some money from the district office. The matter came to light
when Ngundu High School admin asked for invoices and receipts from the district accountant
for the trip. However, the district accountant allegedly refused, saying the district office
had already paid him.
