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Lovemore Meya Court Correspondent
A bogus lawyer from Chitungwiza was yesterday sentenced to two years in prison for defying a court order compelling him to restitute $4 000 to another man he had swindled a car.
Chiocha Mavuto (32) of ZRP New Camp in Chitungwiza was also brought before magistrate Ms Jessy Kufa facing two fresh counts of fraud involving $575.
The court order was handed to Mavuto by magistrate Musaiona Shortgame sometime in May after he was convicted and sentenced to two years which were set aside on condition of paying restitution.
But Mavuto ran out of luck after he was arrested on fresh charges and upon going through the records, it was established that he had a previous conviction for the same offence.
This led Ms Kufa to order him to serve the alternative.
Mavuto was remanded to July 16 for trial continuation.
On both counts, Mavuto is being charged for defrauding two people after masquerading as a legal practitioner trading under Chiocha and Associates operating at Makoni shops.
He denied the charges of swindling $500 from Jonathan Zvizhinji (41) of Unit J Extension in the same location on grounds that his law firm was legally registered.
“I deny that I misrepresented to the complainants as a legal practitioner,” said Mavuto.
“Chiocha and Associates is a dully registered company which operates as legal aid society.
“I never received the $500 from the first complainant and in my personal capacity never worked with him.”
On the second count he allegedly duped Precious Dendere (29) and vehemently watered the allegations claiming that he never received any money.
“The complainant (Dendere) paid $10 and I deny ever receiving $25 from her debtor,” he said.
The prosecutor Mr Innocent Tizirai alleged that on December 17 last year, Dendere went to seek the services of Mavuto to recover her $25 from her debtor.
This was after Mavuto allegedly told her that he was a debt collector and she was asked to pay $10 for the services. wo months lapsed with Dendere visiting Mavuto’s workplace with the intention to get her money, but to no avail.
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