‘RICH COUSIN’ DUPED US$15K IN FUEL EQUIPMENT DEAL

Zvikomborero Parafini

A MEMBER of the “Rich Cousins”, a group of rich local businesswomen and socialites, lost US$15 000 to a commodity broker in a bid to procure fuel equipment.

Lisa Matuke, of Maropafadzo Energy (Pvt) Ltd, has dragged commodity broker, Zivanai Elvis Mudyiwa, to court, accusing him of fraud.

The court heard that in June 2018, Matuke entered into a lease agreement with Cliperunt Real Estate (Pvt) Ltd, in which the latter agreed to lease its fuel garage in Norton for a period of 10 years.

Part of the agreement was that Matuke was going to do some renovations at the premise, including increasing the fuel storage facility.

Matuke was also going to pay rentals.

Mudyiwa then engaged Brown Engineering (Pvt) Ltd to manufacture a fuel tank at a cost which was equivalent to US$15 000 and to install the tank at the garage.

However, according to the court documents, Mudyiwa then hatched a plan to steal the fuel tank.

Mudyiwa proceeded to Brown Engineering and misrepresented facts that he had been directed to collect the fuel tank by Maropafadzo Energy.

He sold it to Chirthigh Company in Gweru for US$8000.

The offence came to light on June 24, this year, when Matuke visited Brown Engineering to collect the tank and install it in Norton.