“Business Partners Engaged in Conflict”
TWO fuel dealers, who are also business partners, have taken each other to court after the other allegedly failed to deliver 70 000 litres after receiving necessary payment.
Bell Petroleum is a bulk fuel supplier, whilst Platinum Island sells the liquid and the two business partners, Daniel Guzha and Tinashe Mupingo, have been working together since 2022.
Bell Petroleum, which was represented by Guzha, is being charged for fraud and was granted US$500 bail.
Prosecutor Thomas Chanakira alleges that Guzha used to deliver fuel to Platinum Island, which was represented by Tinashe Cheryl Mupingo, every time the accused was paid to make deliveries.
It is alleged that on March 19 this year, Platinum Island contracted Bell Petroleum to deliver 40 000 litres of diesel and he was paid US$60 000 and the fuel was delivered.
On March 22, Guzha’s company was also contracted to supply another 40 000 litres of fuel and he received US$57 000, but he only managed to deliver 20 000 litres.
The State further alleges that before delivering the remaining balance, Guzha slashed his fuel prices to US$1,28 per litre and informed Platinum Island who paid him US$140 000 for the delivery of 120 000 litres on top of the remaining 20 000 litres balance.
“The accused person acknowledged receipt of the money and delivered 49 987 litres on 7 and 10 April and promised to deliver the balance 70 013 litres. The complainant followed up, but the accused person became evasive giving several excuses,” the court heard.
“The offence came to light when the complainant was informed that she had not paid for the fuel she was claiming yet she had all the proof of payments and delivery notes of the fuel she received.
“This prompted the complainant to conduct some preliminary investigations where she discovered that the accused person was in possession of forged delivery notes showing that she received the said fuel yet in actual fact she had not,” Chonzi alleged.
As a result Platinum Island lost US$95 502 in a botched deal.
Meanwhile, a suspected fraudster who allegedly defrauded the State-owned Zimbabwe Manpower Development Fund (Zimdef) of $120 million was on Wednesday remanded in custody at the Harare Magistrates Court.
Amos Chisvo, 43, appeared before magistrate Donald Ndirowei facing fraud charges and was remanded to 23 April for his bail application.
According to the State, Chisvo connived with nine other people before stealing millions using an online banking system after hacking Zimdef’s e-banking system.
The other accused persons are Gerald Pondai, Prosper Hove, Primrose Mwangi, Tinashe Kadzunge, Dzikamai Zvagona, Patience Madondiro, Silas Nyamhandu, Eric Mbunga and Tinashe Dangwah.
Pondai, Hove, Kadzunge and Zvagona were arrested earlier and have been remanded in custody, while Dangwah, Mbunga, Nyamhandu and Madondiro are still at large.
According to the State, the accused persons hacked Zimdef’s ZB Bank account and transferred $50 million into Atrier Engineering’s bank account.
The engineering firm is owned by Hove and Pondai.
“They further transferred $20 million into New Places’ account belonging to Mwangi which is fraudulently registered in the name of one Tatenda Reuben Rupiya.
“The accused persons again transferred $30 million into Tavaka Holdings account number belonging to Kadzunge and Zvagona.
“Having made the fraudulent transfers, the accused persons went on to liquidate the money into US dollars at the black market as well as buying goods from various individuals in exchange of forex,” the court heard.
However, the matter came to light when Zimdef received an email from a whistle blower alerting them and that is when Innocent Ganya, who is the Zimdef finance and administration manager, checked Zimdef’s account and realised that $120 million had allegedly been withdrawn from its accounts.
Investigations were carried out leading to the arrest of Pondai, Mwangi, Kadzunge and Zvagona. Further investigations led to the recovery of $30 million. Chisvo was arrested on April 5 in another case involving fraud.
