A 39-YEAR-OLD legal practitioner, Fiona Machekeche, yesterday appeared at the Harare Magistrates’ Court facing charges of stealing her client’s $48 000 realised from the sale of his house and was remanded to November 19 for trial.
BY DESMOND CHINGARANDE
The accused, who used to operate under Machekeche Law firm, appeared before magistrate, Bianca Makwande.
The complainant in the matter is the director of Non-Ferrous Die Casting, Marvin Mbazima.
According to the State, sometime in November 2014, Mbazima advertised the sale of his house through Paradise Property Group Agents. The house was bought by Tawanda Fambawaputa on November 21 for $48 000 and an agreement of sale was signed.
The State alleges Mbazima then engaged Machekeche to handle the sale, as a conveyancer, and agreed that the purchase money be deposited into her law firm’s Standard Chartered Bank account, but Machekeche is said to have instructed Fambawaputa to deposit the cash directly into her personal Barclays Bank account instead.
Mbazima later instructed Machekeche to pay the agents $2 300 as well as $3 052 in capital gains tax. Machekeche then did the conveyancing and change of ownership was effected into Fambawaputa’s name.
After all the deductions had been made, Machekeche allegedly converted $42 187,85 to her own use.
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It is alleged Mbazima made several efforts to make Machekeche remit the money, but nothing materialised, as she became evasive. The matter was reported to the police, leading to her arrest.
Sebastian Mutizirwa appeared for the State.
