Chronicle Editor
Fungai Lupande Court Reporter—
Lafarge Cement Zimbabwe allegedly lost 1 503 tonnes of cement worth about $350 000 to Building Centre in a botched storage deal. Candellar Investments (Pvt) Ltd trading as Building Centre and its director, Saim Sirdar (29), appeared before Harare magistrate Mr Lazini Ncube facing theft of trust property charges.Sirdar was remanded to January 17, 2017 on $200 bail.
The complainant is Lafarge Cement Zimbabwe Limited, represented by its tax and accounting manager Mr Rindai Chitonho.
The court heard that Lafarge Company is in the business of manufacturing, distributing and selling cement.
It also contracts wholesalers and retailers to store cement on its behalf.
The prosecutor, Mr Nyikadzino Machingura, alleged that on February 4, 2014, Sirdar agreed to store cement on behalf of Lafarge.
The cement was stored at No. 43 Birmingham Road, Southerton in Harare, and they agreed that the cement shall remain Lafarge stock available for sale.
They agreed that Building Centre would segregate Lafarge cement from its stock and shall only withdraw from its stock after receipt of an invoice. Also that Lafarge shall have the right to advertise the warehouse and brand them to building customer traffic to the site.
It is alleged that between December 2015 and June 2016, Lafarge delivered 13 501 tonnes of cement to Building Centre.
In June this year Lafarge officials went to Building Centre warehouse for a routine check and noticed discrepancies in the quantity.
The court heard that a stock reconciliation revealed that there was a shortfall of 1 503 tonnes of cement valued at $353 961, 01.
It is alleged that documents showed that the cement was released to Isheanesu Elton Madzima.
Lafarge lost $353 961, 01 and nothing was recovered.
Online Reporter