Senior Court Reporter
A HARARE man who allegedly swindled his business partner of over US$200 000 after pocketing payments made by several clients has appeared in court facing fraud charges. Zakeyo Diwa (42) appeared before Harare magistrate Mr Donald Ndirowei who remanded him out of custody to August 25 on US$500 bail.
He was also ordered to surrender his travel documents and to report twice a week at CID Serious Frauds.
The complainant in the matter is Cakesurg Investments (Pvt) Ltd represented by Mr Andrew Masuwa.
Prosecutor Mr Tungamirai Chakurira alleged that sometime in 2010, Masuwa and Diwa registered the company in question and opened an FBC account.
The company started dealing in commodity supply and among its customers were TN Holdings, Celebration Centre and Sparkling Cleaning.
Diwa, it is alleged, as a co-director was tasked with running the company’s affairs, including conducting sales and sourcing products.
Mr Chakurira said that during the period between 2010 and December last year, Diwa hatched a plan to defraud his partner and opened an account with TN Bank.
He diverted all payments for Cakesurg into the new account.
It is alleged that by December last year, the company had supplied goods to TN Holdings, Celebration Centre and Sparkling Cleaning worth US$213 864.
Diwa, it is alleged, had instructed the customers to deposit payment for the supplied goods into his TN account instead of the company account.
When Mr Masuwa asked for the money paid by clients, he was told that they still owed the company.
Mr Masuwa is alleged to have approached the clients who told him that they had paid into the new account.
Mr Chakurira said as a result, Cakesurg was prejudiced US$213 864 and nothing was recovered.