BY DESMOND CHINGARANDE
TWO Harare fraudsters were yesterday arraigned before the courts after they allegedly stole US$189 900 from their former employer and prominent Zanu PF activist William “Ace Lumumba” Mutumanje.
The two, Tatenda Maredza (31) and Malcom Dodo (26), were remanded in custody by Harare magistrate Barbara Mateko pending bail application.
Allegations were that Maredza and Dodo, who were employed as operations manager and sales agent, respectively, for Lumumba’s company, Platinum Fuel, in November last year, were tasked to receive supplies of fuel from ComOil valued at US$244 780 on behalf of the company.
They were later tasked to pay ComOil US$212 025.
However, they paid US$202 125 and failed to account for US$9 900.
During the same month, the accused received 60 000 litres of diesel valued at US$61 800 from Veinek and another 93 000 litres of diesel from DA Motors. They allegedly sold it and pocketed the money.
It is also alleged that on December 23 last year, the duo supplied 25 000 litres of diesel to International Freight Services (IFS) on the pretext that they were representing Platinum Fuels.
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They allegedly pocketed proceeds from the deal.
Using the same modus operandi, the duo supplied US$418 000 worth of fuel to IFS on January 6. On January 9, they supplied Genesis Service Station in Kuwadzana with 30 000 litres of diesel, but they declared only 10 000 litres to the company.
On January 30, they supplied Skyline Service Station in Masvingo with 10 000 litres of diesel, pretending to be from Platinum Fuels. They were then nabbed while offloading the fuel.
It is alleged that the accused persons were not licensed to deal in petroleum products. Lumumba was prejudiced of US$189 900 and nothing was recovered. Lancelot Mutsokoti prosecuted.
Follow Desmond on Twitter @DChingarande1
