The ManicaPost
Tendai Gukutikwa Post Correspondent
A MUTARE syndicate that allegedly defrauded a local mining company of $300 000 worth of mining blocks has been arraigned before the courts, facing fraud charges.
Hopewell Mvura, Talkmore Sinaro and Sandra Sithole are alleged to have defrauded Summit Searching Bureau (Private) Limited of its three mining blocks by forging and affixing Mvura’s signature on a Memorandum of Agreement of sales as the purchaser.
This they did, knowing fully well that the sellers, Sinaro and Sithole were not directors of the company and had no authority to sell the mining blocks.
Hopewell Mvura (40) was not asked to plead to the charge of fraud as defined as Section 136 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, Section 9:23 when he appeared before Mutare magistrate, Mr Innocent Bepura last week.
Mvura’s accomplices Sinaro and Sithole have since appeared before the court and are currently on remand.
Mvura was, however, granted $50 bail. As part of his bail conditions, the court ordered him to keep residing at his given address and not to interfere with State witnesses.
The matter was adjourned to March 23, 2017 for trial.
Public Prosecutor, Mr Fletcher Karombe, alleged that sometime in 2004, Francesca Nyanhete entered into an agreement with Denford Chabayiwa to form a company which they named Summit Searching Bureau (Private) Limited. They were the only two directors of the company.
The company which specifically targeted mining bought five mining blocks in the Odzi area. However, in 2007, Chabaiwa passed on.
“On August 14, 2013, Mvura acting in connivance with Sinaro hatched a plan to defraud Nyanhete of her property by purchasing two mining blocks namely Grand Manica 13 and Grand Manica 14 from Sinaro who misrepresented himself as the seller and managing director of the company. This he did well knowing that Sinaro had no authority from the company’s directors and shareholders.
“Mvura is alleged to have prepared an agreement of sale with Sinaro and paid $2 500 for the two mining blocks to Sinaro,” said Mr Karombe.
On August 20, 2014 allegedly acting in connivance with Sithole, Mvura went on to prepare another agreement of sell and paid $1 000 for another mining block to Sithole who misrepresented herself as the seller and managing director of the company.
Summit Searching Bureau (Private) Limited was prejudiced of $300 000 and nothing was recovered.
