Jeffery Mubaiwa, the director of JEFFM Auctions, appeared in court on charges of defrauding NetOne Private Limited of US$133,000 in a failed property deal. Mubaiwa, aged 47, faced charges of theft of trust property when he appeared before Harare magistrate Ms. Apollonia Marutya. He was granted bail set at US$100 and was instructed to report to the police every fortnight.
NetOne (Pvt) Ltd, represented by Rapheai Mushanawani, is the complainant in the case. According to the State’s allegations, in September 2022, NetOne advertised for bids from companies registered with the Procurement Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (PRAZ) for the sale of its outdated equipment, furniture, and vehicles.
In January 2024, Mubaiwa’s company was awarded the contract to handle the auction of the items as per the Public and Disposal of Public Assets (PPDPA) regulations. The auction, held on July 13, 2024, was conducted in United States Dollars, and the total proceeds from the sale amounted to US$172,204. This included US$113,450 from the sale of vehicles and US$58,754 from the sale of other items.
It is alleged that despite the agreement, which required Mubaiwa to remit the funds to NetOne within 48 hours after the auction, the money was not forwarded. When NetOne followed up, Mubaiwa deposited only US$39,000 on July 23, 2024, and retained US$133,204 for his personal use.
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