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A key witness in a fraud case against a couple Clark Clever and Beverly Aisha Ndonda Makoni had his evidence questioned when he failed to clarify some of the evidence.
The case is involving Dr Gideon Gono who is accusing the couple of defrauding him of ZWL137 million.
The witness’ evidence presentation appeared to fall apart under scrutiny in court.
Allegations are that Dr Gono is accusing the couple of fraudulently altering the CR14 document of Valley Lodge Private Limited.
The court proceedings, overseen by Harare Magistrate Stanford Mambanje, saw George Mashonganyika, a representative of Dr Gono’s company Galmex Private Limited, struggle to clarify key details of the alleged fraud.
When defence attorney Admire Rubaya pressed Mashonganyika to explain the involvement of Ark Properties P/L, a company owned by the Makonis, he admitted that Ark Properties was managing Valley Lodge.
However, he could not explain the exact nature of the management role, leading Rubaya to note that estate agencies typically do not manage hospitality businesses that include lodges, bars, and restaurants.
Mashonganyika’s credibility was further questioned when he was asked about the official company secretary for Valley Lodge.
He initially identified Osborne Tarwirei as the secretary, but under cross-examination, he was shown a CR14 document, which he had previously submitted, listing Auba Omar as the secretary.
Caught in this inconsistency, Mashonganyika acknowledged that the State’s charge sheet, which outlines the accusations, contained mistakes.
A central issue in the trial is the relationship between Valley Lodge and Galmex Private Limited, raising concerns over the true ownership and control of Valley Lodge.
The defence argued that Dr Gono’s audit, which supposedly identified ZWL137 million in alleged fraud, was conducted solely by Gono’s own employees without the couple’s involvement, casting doubt on its objectivity and fairness.
Rubaya noted that a proper audit would typically be carried out by a neutral, registered auditing firm to ensure credibility.
The defence further highlighted Mashonganyika’s lack of clarity on how the accused couple supposedly stole funds from Valley Lodge, with his responses appearing vague and inconsistent.
The lawyer argued that Dr Gono’s accusations were unfounded but were aimed at damaging the couple’s reputations without substantial evidence to support the claims.
The trial is set to resume on October 30, 2024, with growing calls for Dr Gono to personally address these issues in court.
Mathew Masinge
Online Reporter