Businessman Accused of Defrauding Grain Dealers of US$40,000
A Bulawayo miller, Michael Nqabayezwe Ndebele (34), appeared in court on allegations of defrauding multiple grain dealers in Zimbabwe and Zambia of approximately US$40,000.
Ndebele, who resides in the Suburbs and operates the Daily Harvest Milling Company in the Belmont industrial area, faced six counts of fraud and one count of theft before Bulawayo magistrate Mr. Maxwell Ncube.
He was granted US$100 bail and remanded out of custody until March 28. The accusations against Ndebele involve defrauding grain dealers by offering to pay cash on delivery.
Prosecution led by Ms. Belinda Bure outlined that on January 3, 2022, Ndebele visited Best Choice Milling Company owned by Mr. Panashe Prince Manase, where he ordered 13.5 tonnes of mealie-meal and 7,640 kilograms of maize bran, which were loaded onto his truck.
According to Ms. Bure, on September 4 of the previous year, Ndebele placed an order for 22,300 kilograms of sugar beans from Mr. Andrew Musonza. He assured the complainant that he would settle the payment upon delivery of the consignment at his milling plant in Belmont. Subsequently, Mr. Musonza delivered the consignment valued at US$5,760.
“After the complainant had offloaded the sugar beans, the accused person advised Mr Musonza that he was no longer interested in the product and he offered to sell the beans on his behalf,” said Ms Bure.
Later, Ndebele informed the complainant that the sugar beans had purportedly been purchased by SOS Children’s Home, alleging that they had not yet remitted the payment.
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As a result of this misrepresentation, the complainant suffered a prejudice of US$5,760.
On January 10, Ndebele purportedly placed an order for 60 tonnes of maize bran from Mr. Tinotenda Ncube, the proprietor of Loxmythpro, with the consignment valued at US$16,500.
Ms. Bure asserted that Ndebele employed the same method to defraud Mr. Ncube. However, the accused only paid US$6,350, resulting in a prejudice of US$10,150 for the complainant.
Ms. Bure further stated that on February 6 at Bally Harve in Belmont, Ndebele deceived Ms. Glorious Sooka, a Zambian businesswoman, into delivering 33.53 tonnes of maize bran.
“The accused ordered 33,53 tonnes of maize bran from the complainant and with intent to deceive her, the accused misrepresented that he was going to pay upon delivery and he failed to do so,” she said.
The maize bran, valued at US$8,727, saw Ndebele making a partial payment of only US$1,780, resulting in a loss of US$6,947 for Ms. Sooka.
According to court proceedings, on February 7, Ndebele placed an order for 30 tonnes of maize bran from Mr. James Chakamanga, who delivered 28,800 kilograms of maize bran valued at US$7,200.
Allegedly, Ndebele paid US$2,500, causing a loss of US$4,700 for Mr. Chakamanga.
On February 19, Ndebele ordered 48.3 tonnes of maize bran from Mr. Mutenje Tonderai Gwinvai, valued at US$12,800.
Following the delivery of the consignment by the complainant, Ndebele failed to make the payment.
The court also heard that Ndebele allegedly ordered 34 tonnes of maize bran from Mr. Benedict Zijena, whom he also deceived using the same method.
Mr. Zijena delivered 34 tonnes of maize bran valued at US$12,935 to Ndebele’s business premises, and the accused purportedly paid US$7,000.