Zimpapers Logo

Fungai Lupande Court Reporter
A Chinese woman has appeared in court accused of swindling her business partners of $200 000 after elbowing them from the directorship of a quarry mine.

Tang Mingjin (44) appeared before Harare magistrate Ms Barbara Chimboza last week, facing charges of fraud.

She is on $200 bail and was remanded to May 18.

The complainants are Faquan Zhou (50) and Huang Liangcao (50).

The prosecutor, Ms Linda Gadzikwa, told the court that Faquan and Huang were investors.

The court heard that sometime in March 2016, the two complainants and two other Chinese nationals visited Zimbabwe as tourists.

They met Tang who was already a resident in Zimbabwe, who allegedly invited them to establish a quarry business in Zimbabwe.

The pair agreed to fund the project, the court heard. Pursuant to their plan, they registered a company called Zim Viewsquare in which Faquan and Huang had 21 percent each, Tang five percent, while other investors owned the remaining shares.

It is alleged that the complainants were able to obtain a Zimbabwe Investment (ZIA) licence number 003075.

The court heard that the pair returned to China after completing all modalities. While in China, Faquan and Huang contributed $160 000 and $40 000 respectively towards purchasing machinery and equipment.

It is alleged that the machinery was shipped to Zimbabwe to commence operations at Plot 18 Selous, Chegutu.

The court heard that in May 2016, Tang fraudulently removed Faquan and Huang as directors.

She also changed the shareholding structure and reduced the pair’s shares to 13 percent each.

The changes were made at the Registrar of Companies and ZIA.

When Faquan and Huang visited Zimbabwe in February this year, Tang barred them from entering the company and threatened them with deportation.

They lost $200 000 and nothing was recovered.