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Yeukai Karengezeka
Court Correspondent
A FORMER director of MA Auto Supplies, Michael Gordon Smith, was back in court yesterday facing 10 fresh counts where he allegedly defrauded his business partner and the company of US$18 000 and R4 000.
Smith appeared before Harare magistrate Mr Dennis Mangosi charged with 10 counts of fraud to be added to the six counts of theft of trust property amounting to US$11 000 and R24 000 that he has already been remanded over.
The new case was adjourned to May 30 as the complainant, Michael Scott Asher, is currently in Australia.
The State led by Mrs Grace Magocheke alleged that sometime in October 2019, Mr Asher, who is the major shareholder and a director of MA Auto Supplies left for Australia and failed to return owing to Covid-19 restrictions till September 2022.
When he returned, he had the opportunity to access the company’s electronic and physical records and discovered that Smith was allegedly stealing from the company.
Smith failed to account for US$28 985 being the total payment of service charges he received from 25 relatives and friends after offering them services using company resources between October 2019 and September 2022.
In November 2020, Smith also failed to account for US$10 000 loan advanced to MA Auto Supplies by Mr Asher and the US$7 500 realised from the sale of a Toyota Land Cruiser in October 2020.
On another count, Smith also failed to account for eight chairs on September 2, 2022, as well as an Ena blue Claris filter on January 12, 2022.
The state further alleged that Smith failed to account 25 Jura cleaning tablets, bearings and a freezer, a fridge, slide and socket on June 30, 2022. On June 29, 2021, Smith bought fridge slides from Front Runner Racks, Prokel Trading Craft Controls, Gelique and Dischem as items for use at MA Auto using company funds but did not then surrender these items to the company.
The court also heard that he settled personal account arrears in the sum of $206 950 using company funds on the false pretext that it was company arrears.
Smith allegedly fraudulently obtained a VE Blue Smart Charge from One Stop on MA Auto’s account and converted the item to his own use and also serviced his relatives’ vehicles and allowed them to go without paying.
As a result of his actions the company lost US$17 500, R4 110 and $206 950.
Online Reporter