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Geraldine Zaranyika Herald Reporter
A man appeared in court last Friday for allegedly diverting to personal use US$18 000 he received from his friend based in Switzerland to buy sculptures for resale.

Sailot Ziira (37) appeared before Harare magistrate Mrs Rumbidzai Mugwagwa facing four counts of theft of trust property.

He was denied bail and remanded in custody to April 5.

It is alleged that sometime in June 2018, Ziira contacted the complainant who is based in Switzerland indicating that there was a potential buyer, Eric Banner, who wanted some sculptures.

He then requested the complainant to send him some money so that he would buy the sculptures on her behalf and resell them to Banner at a higher price.

During the period between February 24 and March 24, 2018, the complainant would send money to Ziira through the complainant’s gardener Simbarashe Black via Western money transfer.

On the first count, the complainant sent US$8 000 to Ziira to purchase 30 sculptures, but he only supplied five and converted the remainder to his own use.

As a result, the complainant suffered an actual prejudice of US$6 000 which was not recovered.

On the second count, the complainant sent US$4 000 for the purchase of sculptures, but Ziira converted the whole amount and did not buy the sculptures as per agreement.

On the third count, the complainant sent $5 000 for the purchase of seven sculptures, but Ziira did not act as per agreement.

On the last count, the complainant sent US$5 000 to Ziira to buy eight sculptures, but he bought sculptures worthy US$3 000 and converted the remainder to his own use.

Ziira became evasive, resulting in the complainant making a report to the police.

The complainant suffered a prejudice of US$18 000 and nothing was recovered.

In a separate case, A Harare woman appeared in court yesterday for allegedly defrauding a local company of US$45 000.

The complainant is Kenac Computer Systems being represented by its managing director Mr Kennedy Ntini.

Mandy Majoni (59), who is out of custody, appeared before Harare magistrate Ms Victoria Mashamba facing fraud charges.

She was remanded to March 28.

Prosecuting, Mrs Idah Mateke-Maromo told the court that during the period stretching from October 2017 to July 2018, Mr Ntini entered into a verbal agreement with Majoni for the construction of a Disaster Recovery Data Centre at 109 Enterprise Road, Highlands.

This was after she misrepresented that she was the director of Africa of Full Investments Worldwide Limited, a company sponsored by Arabs.

It is alleged that acting upon the misrepresentation, Mr Ntini then transferred US$45 000 from Kenac Computer Systems Private Limited’s Standard Chartered Bank account into Majoni’s account.

As a result, Kenac Computer Systems was prejudiced of US$45 000 and nothing was recovered.