FOUR Mutare men have appeared in court on allegations of defrauding a Polish investor of his US$256 426 in a botched investment deal.
HillaryJoseph Dzuda (20),
Ashley Dzuda (27),Gabriel Tinashe Mapfunde (41) and Kudzai Garry Muricho (41) from Mugadza Chinzamba and Partners Legal Practitioners were facing fraud charges when they appeared before Harare magistrate Ms Marehwanazvo Gofa.
They were remanded in custody to March 5 for bail application.
The complainant is Kwiakowski Marcin.
The court heard that sometime in February 2024, Joseph approached the
complainant who was attending a business meeting with other foreign investors and he misrepresented to the complainant that he is a well-established
businessman and was looking for foreign investors who could work with him.
The complainant was deceived into believing that Joseph was a genuine
business man whom he could partner.
It is alleged that Joseph indicated that he was into gold mining, gold processing and gold
trading.
Joseph allegedly stated that he owned several gold mines in Penhalonga, Mutare.
The complainant decided to engage into mining business and the two agreed to
register a company together.
On September 6 2024 Joseph and the
complainant registered company called Aurera Ventures Private Limited.
Sometime in October 2024, the complainant met accused Joseph who was in the
company of Ashley.
The court heard that Joseph introduced Mapfund3 as his business
associates and were working together at the mines.
The complainant gave the
accused persons US$256 426 cash which was meant for mining operations
at Redwing Mine in Mutare.
The accused persons assured the complainant that
the company will generate US$1 800 000. within 3 months
The complainant thought that Joseph and Mapfunde were conducting
mining operation as they had promised.
After three months the complainant
expected US$1 800 000 but nothing was realized. The accused persons
gave lame excuses stating that they had 3 kilograms of gold which was yet to be disposed. The complainant was being sent monthly returns by Ashley
which showed that, the company had a cashflow of USD 256 426 at hand.
On January 31 2025,
The complainant then advised Joseph to deposit the USD 256 426
he was given into the complainant business account so that they could be
assisted by other investors but the accused persons suddenly advised the complainant
he had made a , deposit payment of US$200 000 to Tripple D Mining
Syndicate for the purchase of a mining claim that Tripple D Mining Syndicate was selling on behalf of the company.
The court heard that Joseph then connived with Muricho in order to misled the complainant that the US$200 000 was paid to Tripple D Mining Syndicate.
Muricho who is a legal practitioner to Tripple D Mining Syndicate then wrote a letter and personally handed it over to complainant purporting to be in possession of the US$200 000 at their lawfirm on behalf of Tripple D Mining Syndicate, whereas in actual fact the lawfirm had no such money and never received that money.
The complainant later realized that he had been duped and filed a police report. Investigations made by police led to arrest of accused persons, after establishing that Joseph had misled the complainant that the transaction of US$ 200 000 was done in February 2025, whilst in actual fact that transaction was made in August 2024. Also it was established that Muricho wrote a letter to complainant as proof to receipt of the money whilst well knowing that the transaction was done in August 2024 in his presences not in February 2025. The detective then visited Muricho’s Law Firm where the Principal denied being in possession of any money for Tripple D Mining Syndicate and mentioned that he never instructed Muricho to write a letter to the complainant confirming the receipt of money. Total prejudiced is US$256 426 and nothing has been recovered
