The ManicaPost
Abel Zhakata, Senior Reporter
Manicaland Diocese Anglican Bishop, Eric Ruwona, appeared in court on Wednesday for routine remand on fraud charges involving US$700 000 which he, together with three accomplices, allegedly siphoned from church coffers.
He will be back in court again on February 24 when the court is expected to furnish him with a trial date.
Ruwona, who is denying the charges, is out on $15 000 bail.
As part ot the bail conditions he was ordered to report once every Friday at Mutare Central Police Station and not to interfere with State witnesses.
The presiding magistrate, Mr Tendai Mahwe, also ordered him to continue residing at No. 1 Oak Road, Murambi.
Allegations were that the bishop and his three accomplices, who are still at large, hatched a plan to defraud the diocese.
“To achieve their plans and on 26 February 2016, the accused person and his accomplices, fraudulently applied for a loan of US$100 000 from Agribank Mutare branch in the name of the Anglican Diocese of Manicaland Agribank account misrepresenting that they would construct St Catherine’s Girls High School in Rusape and purchase a vehicle for the bishop.
“The accused person and his accomplices committed to Agribank Mutare to taking the loan under a mortgage bond of a certain piece of land situated in Mutare District being Stand Number 78, Mutare Township as collateral security without the knowledge of the standing committee and the church congregants,” said district public prosecutor Mr Tirivanhu Mutyasira.
He said as a result of the misrepresentation, the loan was approved and the accused persons took the money.
The court heard that the suspect and his accomplices also took a bank overdraft of US$250 000 from the church’s Agribank account without the knowledge of the standing committee.
“The accused had no lawful right whatsoever to defraud the church of its money in the manner he did. His conduct caused an actual prejudice of US$700 000 and nothing was recovered,” said Mr Mutyasira.
