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Woman ‘dupes’ Colliery

News
Hwange Colliery Company allegedly lost fertiliser worth nearly $50 000 to a local businesswoman who had been sub-contracted to ferry 58,55 tonnes of the commodity but converted it to her own use. The businesswoman, Rebecca Mahachi (38), was arrested this week on Tuesday, but was not asked to plead when she appeared before Harare magistrate […]

Hwange Colliery Company allegedly lost fertiliser worth nearly $50 000 to a local businesswoman who had been sub-contracted to ferry 58,55 tonnes of the commodity but converted it to her own use.

The businesswoman, Rebecca Mahachi (38), was arrested this week on Tuesday, but was not asked to plead when she appeared before Harare magistrate Anita Tshuma on a fraud charge yesterday.

However, Mahachi was remanded to July 4 and granted $200 bail coupled with other bail conditions. Police investigations allegedly revealed that Mahachi, who resides in Mabelreign, Harare, acted in cahoots with two other suspected accomplices, Micheck Chirangare and Arnold Maxwell Chanakira, both still on the run, to swindle Hwange Colliery Company.

This was after Mahachi, who operates an informal transport broking company called Pick-Up Transport, was sub-contracted by Edgar Mudzingo to transport fertiliser to the Colliery.

According to the State, Mudzingo was an established Hwange Colliery transporter but during the material time he had no trucks to ferry the fertiliser prompting him to enlist Mahachi’s services. Prosecutor Ellen Mokora presented that on May 24 this year and after being sub-contracted for the job, Mahachi allegedly provided two trucks that had fake registration numbers.

It is alleged on May 28, the two trucks were loaded with 30 and 28,55 tonnes of fertiliser respectively, valued at $40 985 from ZFC Aspindale and Sable Chemicals.

The State further alleges that when the trucks left the two companies, they were purportedly headed for Hwange Colliery to deliver the fertiliser.

However, instead of proceeding to the Colliery, Mahachi allegedly diverted the consignments to her own destinations where she converted the loot to her use.

The offence came to light after Mahachi’s trucks failed to make the delivery at the Colliery on May 31 as anticipated.

The matter was reported to police, prompting investigations that led to her arrest.