A Harare woman, who was arrested last week on charges of defrauding a Malawian subsidiary company in a maize buying scam, has been granted $100 bail by a Harare provincial magistrate.
Tabeth Makombe (41) allegedly swindled Simama General Dealer — a Ruwa-based Malawian company — of $83 562 in March last year.
Prosecutor David Magwegwe told the court sometime in March 2011, the accused approached Simama General Dealer and misrepresented to company representative, Jarvis Njala that she was the director of a non-existent non-governmental organisation Zimbabwe Scholars Trust Organisation – Feed The Hungry.
She allegedly placed an order of 300 tonnes of maize worth $83 562 and entered into an agreement with the firm.
The whole amount was to be paid upon delivery of the entire consignment.
Magwegwe said between March 10 and 24, the firm delivered the maize to Makombe at a warehouse in Marlborough, but the accused only paid $26 000.
Thereafter, it is alleged, the accused disappeared and on January 5 this year, the complainant filed a police report at CID Serious Fraud Squad, leading to Makombe’s arrest the following day.
She was remanded out of custody to January 23 by magistrate Kudakwashe Jarabini.
