HARARE businessman-cum-musician Energy Mutodi, who is under trial on charges of swindling home-seekers of millions of dollars, has been barred from accessing his firm’s bank account following fresh allegations of abuse of public funds.
CHARLES LAITON
Mutodi is the director of National Housing Development Trust (NHDT) which has been collecting civil servants’ money promising to secure them residential stands and houses.
The court interdict follows an application by NHDT trustee Boniface Chikono who accused the musician of fleecing the housing development’s coffers after he was allowed access to the firm’s cash by an order of the court.
In his founding affidavit forming part of an ex-parte application filed on Thursday last week, Chikono said Mutodi had clandestinely made himself the sole signatory of the bank.
“Not known to myself and others, the first respondent (Mutodi) changed the signatories to the account leaving him as the sole signatory to the said account. As I depose to this affidavit Mutodi is the sole signatory,” Chikono said.
He added: “The said account was frozen by an order of the magistrates court in May 2013. The account was opened by order of the same court. There was $626 000 when the order was granted.
“Since the granting of the said order, first respondent (Mutodi) has not been coming to the office, bought a new Discovery 04 and has refused to account for the money. My fears are that he has misused the funds unless he can clear himself.”
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
Keep Reading
Chikono further said Mutodi had resorted to “running the trust from his pocket” forgetting that the money in the account was not his, but public funds.
“As I depose to this affidavit, the Salary Service Bureau is supposed to direct plus or minus $55 000 into this account on or before July 27, if an order is not granted, the first respondent will withdraw all the money to the detriment of members most of whom are civil servants,” Chikono added.
Provincial magistrate Brighton Pabwe granted the relief sought by Chikono and the matter was postponed to July 30 this year when Mutodi is expected to explain to the court why he should not be barred from accessing the firm’s funds.
Other respondents cited in the matter are NHDT and Kingdom Bank T/A AfroAsia Bank.
