Chiwenga’s wife Miniyothabo duped US$1m
By Trevor Mutsvairo
A CONSTRUCTION company, belonging to a Harare couple, was yesterday arraigned before the Harare Magistrates Courts facing three counts of fraud involving to US$930 000 after failing to fulfil a contract to build Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga’s wife Miniyothabo’s double-storey house.
The matter was remanded to today for bail application.
The complainant is Miniyothabo Francisca Baloyi Chiwenga (48), who is a colonel in the Zimbabwe National Army.
Prosecutor Tafara Chirambira alleged that sometime last year, the couple duped Chiwenga into believing that it could construct a double-storey house, a cottage and a perimeter wall for her.
It allegedly misrepresented that it would complete the project in 90 days and Chiwenga paid its company US$560 000.
After receiving the funds, the couple allegedly diverted some of the money to its own use and failed to complete the project and Chiwenga suffered prejudice of US$389 100.
In another count, the couple, sometime last year, allegedly misled Chiwenga into believing that it was able to construct a warehouse at Chivaraidze Farm in Goromonzi, knowing full well that it had no capacity to do the project.
Acting on the misrepresentation, Chiwenga paid the couple US$550 000, but its company failed to complete the project after allegedly squandering US$390 000.
Chirambira further alleged that in September last year, the couple also convinced Chiwenga that it could construct a shopping mall at Silalatshani business centre in Filabusi and she paid it US$158 000.
The court heard that the couple allegedly diverted US$151 000.
Newsday
