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Prosper Dembedza Court Correspondent

Harare magistrate Mr Dennis Mangosi has granted $5 000 bail to former director with Green Safari Africa (Pvt) Ltd Philip Mafuta, who is facing allegations of selling the company’s property and diverting US$106 803 to his own use.

Mafuta (36) is facing theft of trust property charges.

The State led by Mr Lancelotte Mutsokoti had opposed bail saying Mafuta was a flight risk.

Detective Constable Walter Muri and Detective Sergeant Tonderai Chinembiri both said Mafuta was not a proper candidate for bail.

Allegations are that sometime between January and December 2020 at Green Solari Africa (Pvt) Ltd in Chiredzi, Mafuta, who is a former director of the company, collected a Toyota Land Cruiser purchased by Green Safari Africa for US$30 000 and went on to register it his own name.

It is further alleged that he took a Toyota Hilux purchased by the same company for US$25 000 and had it traded in to obtain for himself a Discovery 4 without the company’s approval.

It is also alleged that Mafuta purchased a Honda Elysion through the company name and proceeded to enter an agreement of sale in his personal name rather than that of the company.

He allegedly received US$12 000 and US$19 830 in his Banc ABC account Number 46191294333018 between September 9 2020 and 18 November 2020 from Mr Conolly and Mr Valtor Lovitolo, which he did not remit to his employer.

The court also heard that sometime in December 2020, Mafuta authorised Mr Chrispen Mutendi (the finance personnel of the company) to withdraw US$10 000 which was meant for clearing the outstanding debt owed to Mosapasi Ranch.

Mafuta converted the money to his own use instead of clearing the debt.