STATE Security minister Kembo Mohadi (pictured) on Thursday threatened to have his wife Tambudzani arrested when it emerged in court that she allegedly siphoned thousands of dollars from Nerry Investments, a company co-owned by the minister.
by LUYANDUHLOBO MAKWATI/ SILAS NKALA
Mohadi, who is the complainant in the matter, made the threats while testifying before Gwanda regional magistrate, Joseph Mabeza.
Impact Trust and Executors (Pvt) official and Nerry Investments liquidator, Barbra Lunga (58), of Burnside in Bulawayo and Simon Muleya (52) of Eland Road in Beitbridge, are jointly accused of fraudulently changing ownership of Stand 1418 in the border town from Nerry to Redqueen.
Richard Majwabu and Welshman Ncube jointly represented the accused.
During cross-examination, Ncube asked Mohadi how he and one John Josiah Moyo had allegedly connived with Tambudzani to siphon daily takings of Nerry Investments into a CBZ Bank Beitbridge branch account.
Ncube indicated to Mohadi that $199 000 had been unlawfully transferred to Tambudzani’s account.
Mohadi, who seemed startled by the questions, said he was not aware how his wife managed her bank account.
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He said if there was anything that the court needed to know, he could call for an investigation into his wife’s actions.
“Your Worship, if my wife defrauded anyone, it is up to this court to institute investigations over the alleged problem and have her tried in the court. I will definitely call for an investigation in what she did and (that) she is tried before the courts,” Mohadi said.
The agitated Mohadi, who had stood for close to six hours, was also reminded by the court that he was not there to ask questions, but to answer them.
Mohadi had earlier tried to evade responding to questions asked by Ncube, but the presiding magistrate told him that he would not be treated with exception and he should respond.
The court heard that on October 13, Reginald Dawson wrote a letter to the Beitbridge Rural District Council (BRDC) chief executive officer (CEO), informing him that Nerry Investments (Pvt) Ltd would be the registered owner of the firm trading as International Trading Depot.
On October 17, Dawson allegedly tried to register stand number 1418 in Redqueen’s name, but there was no response from council.
On May 23, 2006, BRDC issued a lease agreement, with an offer letter, which stated the same lease was for stand number 1419 and not 1418.
On January 10, 2012, Redqueen, Dawson and his wife Susan Jane, made an application for cancellation of the lease agreement between Nerry Investment and Beitbridge council.
On June 6, 2012, Dawson allegedly applied for voluntary liquidation of Nerry Investments.
On July 4, 2012, High Court judge Justice Martin Makonese granted the application.
Lunga was appointed the provisional liquidator for Nerry Investments.
Lunga on February 9, 2013, allegedly wrote to the council CEO, misrepresenting that there was a cancelled lease agreement between Redqueen Trading and the BRDC for Stand 1418, where there was no such agreement.
On July 30, 2014, Muleya of Impact Trust and Executors allegedly connived with Lunga to revert back to the old lease agreement that never existed and issued a fake lease agreement number A/0171/06 marked “L” which was a genuine lease agreement for Spoornet (Pvt) Ltd.
Dawson was subsequently forced to liquidate the company together with two others — Spoornet (Pvt) Ltd and Nerry Investments — because of Mohadi’s alleged constant threats.
Blessing Gundani prosecuted. The matter was remanded to November 26 for continuation of trial.
