Fredrick Moyo
Gweru based business man Emmanuel Chikweza who appeared before Harare magistrate Dennis Mangosi on July 20, 2023 on fraud charges was granted ZW$ 942 201.08 (USD$ 200) bail and will be back in court on September 8, 2023.
Chikweza is being charged in terms of Section 358 (3) of the Criminal Procedure and Evidence Act Chapter 9:23.
Part of the bail conditions are that he should continue residing at the given address, not to interfere with state witnesses and to report at Gweru Central Police Station every Friday.
Chikweza who operates a furniture and electrical appliances company trading under the name Homelife Furniture and Electrical Appliances is accused of swindling Brighton Ushendibaba of Forltune Investments Pvt Ltd in Harare of US$80 000 in a botched investment deal.
Allegations are that Chikweza made an agreement with the complainant to invest in his company and will pay back the amount in installments.
However, the complainant alleges that the accused failed to honor his end of the deal and went onto report the matter to the police leading to the accused’s arrest.
In his defense, Chikweza said he paid back half of the amount and would pay the remainder.
Commenting on the matter, Homelife Furniture and Electrical Appliances Manager, Kenias Sinoya charges against them are false and malicious allegations as Homelife Furniture and Electrical Appliances is a genuine and duly registered organization that operates its retail business in Gweru Central Business District.
“Contrary to the allegations Homelife Furniture and Electrical Appliances is a genuine organization that is operating a retail business in Gweru Central Business District and is not in any way operating or involved directly or indirectly in any so called Ponzi schemes. The organization is of superlative goodwill and sound reputation that was nurtured with its stakeholders over the last ten years of its existence.
“The allegations are libelous and meant to cause harm to the reputation and performance of Homelife’s business and should be dismissed with the contempt they deserve until the litigation process is complete. The organization has no previous criminal records except the current frivolous, malicious and false allegations,” said Sinoya.
