By staff reporter Key state witness in the fraud trial of property developer George Katsimberis, Michael Van Blerk has told court that they discovered that GK enterprises was not registered after signing a joint venture agreement.
Van Blerk told magistrate Vongai Muchuchuti-Guwuriro that his former company Pokugara Properties had no knowledge that Katsimberis company was not a registered entity at the time of signing the agreement.
Katsimberis who is being represented by Tawanda Kanengoni is denying the offence.
Kanengoni asked Van Blerk the prejudice he suffered as a result of his client’s actions to which he said they suffered prejudice in the form of time.
Van Blerk said the time passed while thinking they were dealing with a registered company and also insisted that it was an offence to get into a joint venture while fully knowing that his company was not registered.
The witness also said GK enterprises did not commit any offence but it was Katsimberis on his own who appended the signature.
Van Blerk was responding to Kanengoni who asked if Katsimberis signed the joint venture on behalf of his company or on his own.
He further stated that Katsimberis misrepresented facts in a fraudulent manner.
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
Keep Reading
Katsimberis is accused of building a showroom in Borrowdale without the approval plan from the Harare City Council.
Van Blerk said Katsimberis showed him fake building plans and he only realised after the City of Harare indicated that the building was built with un approved plan.
This led to the City of Harare demolishing the showroom.
“We believed that the accused had City of Harare approved plans. The City of Harare wrote to us telling us that the plans had not been approved. But the accused had shown us plans which he claimed were approved by them,” said Van Blerk.
