Mutodi trial deferred to May

Fungai Lupande Court Reporter
The trial of National Housing Delivery Trust (NHDT), its founder Energy Mutodi and company trustee Boniface Chikono accused of fleecing US$588 000 from desperate home seekers failed to start yesterday and was postponed to May 12. NHDT is represented by Mutodi, who is also charged in his personal capacity.

Mutodi is jointly charged with Chikono on the fraud charges.
The pair made an application for refusal of further remand submitting that further remand was a violation of their right to liberty.

“We had been on remand for  a long time and further remand is prejudicial because bank accounts were frozen by court on May 27 last year and we had not been able to conduct business,” Mutodi said.

Harare magistrate Adonia Masawi dismissed the application and remanded the matter to May 12 saying it involved large sums of money.