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Shiri fraudster no different from Diesel N’anga: Magistrate

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HARARE magistrate Milton Serima yesterday said businessman Brian Kambasha, who duped Air Force of Zimbabwe Commander Air Marshal Perrance Shiri of $50 000 in a botched solar power system deal was no different from “Diesel N’anga” Rotina Mavhunga

HARARE magistrate Milton Serima yesterday said businessman Brian Kambasha, who duped Air Force of Zimbabwe Commander Air Marshal Perrance Shiri of $50 000 in a botched solar power system deal was no different from “Diesel N’anga” Rotina Mavhunga who sent senior government officials on a wild goose chase after claiming there was pure diesel oozing from a rock in Chinhoyi a few years ago.

BY PHILLIP CHIDAVAENZI

Kambasha, who is the chief executive of Hemmingworth Cartwright (Private) Limited, was convicted of fraud together with his company and remanded in custody to today for sentence.

Serima said Kambasha unnecessarily dragged the names of prominent people, including President Robert Mugabe and Reserve Bank governor John Mangudya, in trying to sell his solar system scam.

“The level of your cunning behaviour shows you are a malcontent trickster out to dupe people of their money,” Serima said.

“The behaviour of the first accused is no different from that of one Rotina Mavhunga who duped senior government officials a few years ago.”

In aggravation, prosecutor Sharon Mashavira urged the court to consider a custodial sentence because of the accused person’s high moral blameworthiness.

“The accused’s behaviour is very cunning to the extent that he kept wasting the court’s time and dragging in people’s names, including President Robert Mugabe, in a bid to serve his interests,” she said.

In mitigation, defence lawyer Tazorora Musarurwa urged the court to be lenient with his client since he was a first offender and had not benefited from the offence.

He also proposed that the court should consider a non-custodial sentence and allow the convict to restitute Shiri.

Allegations were that in April 2013, Kambasha approached Shiri and proposed to him a solar power pilot project at his Bindura farm.

Kambasha told Shiri the project would be rolled out in three phases.

Shiri agreed to have the first stage of the project installed at his farm at a cost of $50 125.

On June 7 2013, Shiri entered into an agreement and paid the money in instalments.

Kambasha only mounted metal stands for the plant and converted the money to his own use.

After two weeks, Shiri approached Kambasha who failed to explain why the project had stalled.

He failed to install the plant or reimburse the money, leading to his arrest on December 12 last year.