Online Reporter
Yeukai Karengezeka-Chisepo
Court Correspondent
A HARARE company director has appeared before the Harare Magistrates Court on allegations of defrauding an investor of nearly US$30 000 after allegedly luring him into a bogus business venture to import premium fitting boards from South Africa.
Desmond Zhakata (36), who appeared in his capacity as a representative of Oakwood Fitting Solutions (Private) Limited, is facing fraud charges.
He was remanded in custody pending his bail determination.
The State, represented by prosecutor Ms Polite Chikiwa, alleges that sometime in November 2025, Zhakata approached the complainant, Mr Abraham Mubvumbi, claiming that Oakwood Fitting Solutions was involved in importing high-grade fitting boards from South Africa for resale on the Zimbabwean market.
It is alleged that Zhakata told the complainant that the company was failing to meet growing customer demand due to financial constraints and was looking for an investor to inject capital into the business.
The court heard that Zhakata allegedly proposed a joint venture in which the funds would be used exclusively to import between three and four truckloads of premium fitting boards during the peak trading season, with the business arrangement running until January 31, 2026.
According to the State, the parties entered into a verbal agreement under which the complainant would receive profits of US$6 000 for every truckload of boards sold.
Acting on the alleged representations, Mr Mubvumbi is said to have transferred a total of US$29 960 to Zhakata through Remitly transactions on December 5, 2025, and on several subsequent dates.
The State alleges that between January and July this year, the complainant made numerous follow-ups demanding either the return of his investment or payment of the promised profits.
However, Zhakata allegedly failed to deliver the fitting boards, did not pay any returns and could not give a satisfactory explanation regarding the funds.
The court heard that the complainant subsequently realised that he had allegedly been misled and reported the matter to the police
The complainant suffered prejudice amounting to US$29 960 and nothing has been recovered.
