dyton mupawaenda
Mathew Masinge
A FOREX dealer allegedly diverted US$30 000, which was meant to order goods in South Africa, and used it to pay lobola for his wife at a lavish traditional ceremony.
Rangarirai Shumbairerwa (28), of Warren Park, yesterday appeared in court, before Harare magistrate Ethel Chichera, charged with theft of trust property.
The matter was deferred to June 6 for trial commencement.
Rangarirai is out on US$150 bail.
He has denied the charges saying he never received the money from the complainant, Tamai Dadirai, claiming he, instead, received the amount from her ex-husband, Salisio Janyure.
Janyure and Dadirai divorced recently after an order of decree was granted in Dadirai’s default.
The State said in October last year, Rangarirai received US$30 000 from Dadirai at Nyahokwe Mall, at the corner of First Street and George Silundika in Harare’s CBD.
The money was meant to order goods, which included clothes and blankets, which would be sold in Dadirai’s shops at the mall.
However, the goods were not delivered.
In violation of a trust agreement between the two, Rangarirai did not do the intended electronic funds transfer to South Africa but used the money to throw a lavish traditional marriage ceremony.
After a few days, Dadirai made a follow-up on the transaction but was advised by Rangarirai that he had converted the money into personal use.
Rangarirai pleaded with Dadirai and offered to pay back the money in instalments.
However, he failed to pay back the money in the past six months.
The two have been in the same business since 2022 and nothing has been recovered from the US$30 000 transaction.
A police report was made at ZRP Harare Central leading to Rangarirai’s arrest.
Online Reporter