Chegutu, Zimbabwe | Former Deputy Information Minister Bright Matonga was on Thursday, June 27, granted US$600 bail by the Chegutu Magistrates’ Court following his arrest on Tuesday on two counts of theft.
The two counts have been outlined by the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) as follows:
Count 1
The accused person is facing allegations of theft emanating from an incident which happened on the 10th of December 2021 when he unlawfully took two John Deere tractors belonging to the complainant from Monchris (Landos) farm in Selous and took them to his farm. The accused person owns the Chigwell farm in Chegutu. The tractors are valued at USD70 000 and were both recovered.
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Count 2
Bright Matonga is jointly charged with his employee, Wasili Wisili on allegations of theft. The State is alleging that on the 19th of February 2016, the complainant, Talbec Investments Pvt Ltd represented by David Leonard Van Breda entered into a joint venture with the first accused person who is the owner of Chigwell farm in Chegutu.
The agreement gave the complainant farming rights on the said farm for up to 15 years. Upon occupying the farm, the complainant equipped the farm with farm implements and machinery valued at USD414 888.
The complainant only operated on the farm for six years before his employees were evicted by the first accused person on the 11th of December 2021 and they left behind all their farm equipment, implements as well as consumables.
It is alleged that sometime in December 2021, Bright Matonga and second accused persons instructed Chigwell Farm employees to open the warehouse at the farm and load farming equipment and implements belonging to the complainant onto vehicles on multiple occasions.
They took the farm implements to a destination unknown to the State.
Wasili Wisili is also out of custody on US$100 bail.
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