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NewsDay

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Ginimbi’s passport temporarily released

News
Genius Kadungure, popularly known as Ginimbi, was yesterday granted a reprieve and allowed to travel outside the country following the temporary release of his passport by the NPA.

BY CHARLES LAITON

SOCIALITE and businessman Genius Kadungure, popularly known as Ginimbi, who is on remand over fraud, tax evasion and money-laundering charges involving over $3,5 million, was yesterday granted a reprieve and allowed to travel outside the country following the temporary release of his passport by the National Prosecuting Authority.

Chief law officer Mirirai Shumba, who represented the NPA in the matter, consented to the release of the travel document following an application by Kadungure’s lawyer, Tazorora Musarurwa.

As part of his bail conditions, the flamboyant businessman was released on $1 000 bail and ordered to surrender his passport.

However, High Court judge Justice Tawanda Chitapi granted Kadungure a temporary reprieve and ordered that he returns the passport by June 14, 2019.

It is the State’s case that from February 2009 to May 2016, Kadungure, with the intention of evading paying value-added tax, misrepresented to the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) that he had made total sales of $2 777 678 inclusive, instead of the actual $9 092 951.

According to the State, the offence came to light when Zimra conducted an investigation into the activities of Kadungure’s firm, Piko Trading (Pvt) Ltd.

The State also alleges that sometime in 2015, Zimra conducted lifestyle audits of socialites after observing their excessive expenditure, which was not matching with their tax declarations.

On March 2, 2016, Kadungure was interviewed and he told Zimra auditors that he owns a residential property in Domboshawa valued at $200 000, a posh Rolls-Royce car valued at R4 million, a Bentley valued at $500 000, a Range Rover SUV valued at R1,1 million and a Mercedes-Benz valued at R1 million.

Kadungure is also said to have told Zimra officials that he owns furniture worth several thousands of dollars in Domboshawa.

The State said Kadungure was asked to prove the source of his income, which he failed.

The prosecution also told the court that investigations by Zimra revealed that between January 2010 and December 2015, Kadungure did not declare income amounting to over $9 million from sales realised out of liquefied petroleum gas.