BY DESMOND CHINGARANDE A local consultancy company Philjoy Secretarial Services has been charged with fraud after it was caught preparing a fake CR14 without the knowledge of the owners.
Magistrate Munashe Chibanda ordered the company to pay a fine of $30 000, or have its property attached.
The court heard that on a date unknown to the prosecutor but during the period extending from July 29, 2002 to August 2020 and at the Registrar of companies office, Harare, the company represented by Phillip Danga sought to mislead the public that it had been appointed company secretary of Balwearie Holdings Private Limited.
It is alleged that Danga prepared a fraudulent CR14 document and filed the same with the Register of Companies offices.
He pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Danga further told court that the CR14 was prepared by his clerk, and that he was only given the CR14 to append his signature.
After a full trial magistrate Chibanda said the State managed to prove a prima facie case against the company.
“It is common cause that the CR14 is full of misrepresentations. The Registrar of companies clearly told the court that it was the duty of the accused to supply correct information. The state has managed to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt that the accused committed the offense. I hereby find the accused is guilty,” Chibanda ruled.
