Online Reporter
Zvikomborero Parafini
HARARE businessman Vincent Chawonza lost more than US$6,000 after two of his employees ran a firm which was in direct competition with his company’s line of business.
The two men, Kenneth Nyalugwe and Kennedy Chiwara, were arrested after they allegedly concealed information that they were in the same line of business with their employer Open Gold Enterprises.
Nyalugwe and Chiwara were not asked to plead when they appeared before Harare magistrate Tapiwa Kuhudzai, who remanded them in custody to today for their bail ruling.
Chawonza is a director and shareholder at Open Gold Enterprises and is representing his company in the case.
Chawonza is also a leading football administrator.
Open Gold Enterprises specialises in coach building and truck body spares supplies.
Nyalugwe is employed by the company as the Administrator while Chiwara is the Workshop Manager.
The court heard that on July 10, Nyalugwe sent a quotation on behalf of Open Gold Enterprises to Superlinx Logistics valued at US$6,468 for the supply of door cappings.
On July 14, it is alleged that Nyalugwe printed a quotation in the name of Fosterwell Investments on the company’s Office Printer.
Chawonza then discovered that it was being sent to his client Superlinx Logistics and similar products were in that quotation but valued at US$5,000.
Chawonza then instructed Nyalugwe to bring his laptop to his office which was then inspected by his IT personnel, in Nyalugwe’s presence
The IT expert discovered a folder with seven quotations under Fosterwell Investments in the company laptop.
After being questioned, the duo stopped working and Chiwara refused to surrender the storeroom keys or respond to calls.
A stock take conducted revealed that 100 door cappings, each five meters in length, were missing from the storeroom under Chiwara’s control
Due to the duo’s action, Chawonza suffered prejudice of $6,468-75.
