Crimes and Courts
BULAWAYO – A 25-year-old student nurse, Sandra Ndege, has been arraigned before the Bulawayo Magistrates Court for allegedly using a forged Ordinary Level certificate to secure a place in the Registered General Nurse training program at Mpilo Central Hospital.
Ndege, who pleaded not guilty to charges of fraud and forgery, stands accused of creating a fraudulent Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (ZIMSEC) certificate after twice failing to obtain sufficient passes.
According to court papers, Ndege’s genuine results from sittings in 2018 and 2019 showed she had passed only a few subjects, far short of the requirements for nursing training. She allegedly then fabricated a certificate showing eight subjects, all with high grades, including A’s in Shona, Agriculture, and History.
“In September 2023 she applied for a place to train as a Registered General Nurse using the fake certificate as proof of educational qualifications. Mpilo Hospital School of Nursing acted upon the misrepresentation and enrolled her as a student nurse,” the prosecution stated.
The court heard that Ndege trained for two years and received a monthly salary during her studies. The deception was uncovered on July 16, 2025, when hospital authorities conducted a routine verification with ZIMSEC, which confirmed the certificate was fraudulent.
This case echoes a similar incident at the same institution just months prior. In June, a 27-year-old man, Taurai Prosper Vanhuvaone, was sentenced to seven years in prison for impersonating a medical practitioner at Mpilo Hospital, an act the court said endangered lives.
Magistrate Abednico Ndebele remanded Ndege in custody as her trial continues.
Follow us on social media for breaking news:
·X (Twitter): @ZimGbc
·Instagram: @ZimGBCNews
·TikTok: @ZimGBCNews_01
·Facebook: Zim GBC News
·YouTube: Zim GBC News
Get real-time alerts on WhatsApp:
+263 773 820 323
Zim GBC News | Global News From An African Perspective©2025