Yesterday, Langton Madara, the director of Preprco Investments, appeared in court on charges of fraud after allegedly forging bank documents to secure payment for a US$1 million tender to supply printing material to the Zimbabwe Republic Police.
Langton Madara, aged 35, stood before Harare regional magistrate Mr. Donald Ndirowei and was instructed not to plead to the fraud charges. He was granted bail set at US$100 and ordered to surrender his passport. The case was remanded to April 4 for a possible trial date.
The complainant in the case is the Zimbabwe Republic Police, represented by Inspector Vengai Mazarura from the Police General Headquarters Procurement Management Unit in Harare.
According to the State prosecutor, Mr. Lancelot Mutsokoti, in 2022, the ZRP advertised in a newspaper for suppliers of printing material. Madara, representing Preprco Investments, responded to the advertisement, and subsequently, the police awarded his company the tender.
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A contract was signed in January the following year, between ZRP, represented by Commissioner General of Police Mr. Godwin Tandabantu Matanga, and Madara. The contract stipulated special conditions, including an advance payment of 15 percent of the total cost, to be backed by a bank guarantee.
The total cost amounted to US$1,684,448, with an advance payment of US$252,667.
Madara was requested to provide the bank guarantee for the advance payment. Allegedly, he produced a bank guarantee from FBC Bank Samora Machel Branch, dated October 2, 2023. However, upon investigation, it was revealed that the document was doctored, with FBC Bank disowning it as a fraudulent creation.
The bank highlighted discrepancies in the document, including a fake letterhead and date stamp, in an email addressed to the police’s official email on February 16, 2024.
