Harare businessman Phillip Chiyangwa is up in arms with his former site manager Cuthbert Chibwe, who is accused of stealing building scaffolds worth $500 000 three years ago.
Chibwe, who was employed by the business mogul, was summoned for trial on Wednesday at the magistrates’ court in Harare, but the trial failed to commence after prosecutor Michael Reza discovered he needed to collect more evidence to bolster the case.
Reza requested Stewart Ajisa, Pinnacle Holdings project overseer, to provide documents to show how the amount reached $500 000 as the total value of the scaffolds.
Chibwe was then served with a copy of another summons which he signed acknowledging proof of service for trial on May 31.
According to Chiyangwa, sometime in 2007, Pinnacle Holdings hired scaffolding equipment from various companies since his company was involved in massive building projects.
The companies from where the equipment was hired were Conford, Tokola Kolaford, Neshamba, Mwendaz and Chikafa, Sommerset, Torrens Crisoon and Lederic Construction.
One of the major projects where the scaffolds were being used was at the construction site of Pentagon Hotel situated at the corner of Crowhill Road and Carrick Creagh in Borrowdale, Harare, where Chibwe was the head foreman.
It is alleged between June and December 2009, Chibwe, who was in charge of all construction issues and management of hired equipment, diverted most of the equipment to his private projects.
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Some of the scaffolds were later allegedly identified at different sites by companies that had hired them to Pinnacle Holdings.
Upon being confronted by the owners of the scaffolds, Chibwe is alleged to have indicated that he was the owner of the construction equipment, prompting the companies to carry out further investigations.
Pinnacle Holdings authorities were quizzed by the companies over the construction equipment and it was then discovered that Chibwe was allegedly running his private business without Pinnacle Holdings’ knowledge using the alleged stolen scaffolds.
The matter was reported to the police, leading to his arrest.
