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Lovemore Meya Court Correspondent
A Chitungwiza magistrate, Ms Tafadzwa Miti has warned people to desist from abusing courts by bringing in trivial matters to court in a bid to solve personal vendettas. Ms Miti said this in a matter in which a Chitungwiza man Kelvin Magusha (33) of 62 Gumbakumba Road, Zengeza 1 had arraigned his friend, Bothwell Patsika, a businessman to court over allegations of fraud involving $1 700. Magusha had alleged that Patsika approached him on June 3 asking for a loan on behalf of Nico-org, a fertiliser company, which was borrowing money from individuals and would pay back with an interest.

However, this was all to settle personal scores as Magusha felt shortchanged for selling his car, a Mazda BT50 for $7 000 to Patsika, whose price later rose to $10 000. Patsika, however, settled for $8 000 which he handed to Magusha and trouble started when the latter demanded an outstanding balance of $2 000.

When this failed to materialise, Magusha alleged fraud against Patsika saying that he had failed to settle the $1 700 he had borrowed. Magusha alleged that he gave Patsika $1 700 who had promised to return it with $300 interest on July 1.

During the trial, Ms Miti adduced that Magusha inflated the figure which he claimed Patsika borrowed after it came out the matter was about a deal gone sour. “The State led evidence from complainant (Magusha) and the following was established, the two know each other very well. They had an agreement of a sale of a vehicle whereupon the parties initially agreed to the purchase price of $7 000,” said Ms Miti.

Ms Miti took a swipe at Magusha. “People should desist from abusing courts in a bid to solve personal vendettas,” she warned and discharged Patsika for lack of evidence.