Wenslus Murape
Zvikomborero Parafini
A Chinese businessman has been implicated in a US$72 000 theft of trust property in a chrome ore deal that went wrong.
Xu Jinxi 46, who is a transport broker, was not asked to plead when he appeared before regional magistrate Estere Chivasa over the weekend.
The complainant is Qingu Investments Private Limited, represented by its Salesperson Zhang Xu.
The court heard that in March 2024, Qingu Private Limited who had chrome ores in Mutorashanga area, searched for transport to ferry its cargo to South Africa and found information that Jinxi was able to assist.
The parties agreed that Jinxi would cater to all Statutory requirements and foresee that all the chrome ore was delivered to the COSCO Warehouse in South Africa for further shipment to China.
From the period between 20 April 2024 to 23 May 2024, the company gave Jinxi 52 30-tonne truckloads of chrome concentrate to transport to South Africa and cash required for customs duty payments.
Jinxi allegedly loaded all 52 truckloads but only delivered 46 truckloads to the company and diverted the other six to an unknown destination.
He was paid US$26 000 cash, which he received from the company for duty purposes.
Jinxi failed to account for the missing truckloads, which were valued at US$72 225.
Mathew Masinge
Online Reporter