A Harare couple stood trial on Friday, April 5, accused of defrauding the proprietor of Pandhari Hotel of US$90,000, as per a report by NewsDay.
The defendants, Usedia Zhuwaneti and Edzayi Arufaneti, appeared before Harare magistrate Ethel Chichera, with legal representation provided by Shepard Makonde.
Sunday Chifamba, the owner of Pandhari Hotel, serves as the complainant in the case.
According to the prosecution led by Zebediah Bofu, in 2014, the couple allegedly schemed to defraud Chifamba by falsely claiming to be shareholders of Anglovaal Investments Private Limited.
Zhuwaneti and Arufaneti purportedly asserted ownership of stand number 761 Glen Lorne Township of 41 of Glen Lorne, held under Deed of Transfer 9391/98 through their company.
It’s alleged that in March 2014, Chifamba, believing their misrepresentation, purchased stand number 761 Glen Lorne from them for US$90,000, which was deemed to be equivalent to 200 shares in Anglovaal Investments (Pvt) Ltd.
However, in 2016, Eelco Alexis Walraven, the original property owner who had sold it to Anglovaal Investments in 2011 but later reclaimed it due to non-payment by the company, approached Chifamba, asserting his ownership of the property.
In June 2019, Walraven secured a High Court order for the eviction of Chifamba from the property.
As a result of the alleged actions by the accused couple, Chifamba reportedly suffered actual losses amounting to US$90,000, with no recovery made thus far.
