By Crime and Courts Reporter–Harare Regional Magistrate Feresi Chakanyuka has sentenced Avondale Primary School deputy headmistress Roseline Boroma to three years in prison for corruption.

Boroma was convicted after a full trial on charges of unlawfully handpicking a company to supply sports equipment to the school, bypassing the legally required procurement procedures.

Of the three-year sentence, two years will be served effectively, while one year was suspended on condition of good behaviour.

During the trial, Boroma denied the charges, claiming that the selection of the company—Framatic Engineering (Pvt) Ltd—was initiated by the end user department.

However, prosecutor Kudakwashe Muza presented evidence that proved otherwise.

As a government-run institution, Avondale Primary School is classified as a procuring entity under the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Act. 

According to proper procedure, a requisition for goods or services must be initiated by the user department and submittedto both the Procurement and Finance departments.

Final approval is granted by the accounting officer, in this case, the school headmaster.

Prosecutor Muza told the court that in 2023, the school’s Sports Department required new basketball and netball goalposts.

The Head of Sports Department, Shuvai Stella Zhanje, verbally informed Boroma of the need.

Instead of initiating the formal procurement process, Boroma corruptly handpicked Framatic Engineering (Pvt) Ltd to supply and install the sports equipment without consulting the user department, Procurement Department, or the headmistress.

The company went on to install the equipment—costing US$1,780—on the school grounds, much to the surprise of the Sports Department, which had not raised a formal request.

The irregularities were reported to the headmistress and the School Development Committee, ultimately resulting in a police investigation and Boroma’s arrest.