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Zvikomborero Parafini
A Harare man has dragged his 86 year old father to court accusing him of defrauding his company of US$250 000.
Graham Garnet Metcalf Hall appeared before Harare magistrate Marewanazvo Gofa yesterday and was released on free bail because he was not brought to court from police custody. The complainant is Lakeland Ventures (Pvt) Ltd, Kariba represented its director by Gregory Graham Hall who is Hall’s son. Graham divorced his son’s mother Noreece Lesley Hall and he was staying with his mother.
It is the State’s case that on March 15 1985, Lakeland Ventures (Pvt) Ltd was incorporated into the Company Registry under registration number 32/80 with sole Director Noreece Lesley Hall and also sole shareholder of 100 voting shares in the Company.
On 4 June 1994, Graham was appointed a Director of Lakeland Ventures (Pvt) Ltd and at that time the Company now had two Directors, him and Noreece Lesley Hall.
On 13 January 1997, a memorandum of agreement of sale was entered between Wenham Investments (Pvt) Ltd and Lakeland Ventures (Pvt) Ltd represented by Noreece Lesley Hall for the purchase of Dandaro village a piece of land measuring 1, 1015 hectares being stand 18495 Borrowdale, Harare from Wenham Investments (Pvt) Ltd at a purchase price of $1 000 000.
On 11 June 1997, Lakeland Ventures (Pvt) Ltd through its Director Noreece Lesley Hail made a cheque payment of $250 000 to Wenham Investments being the third and progress payment for the purchase of Dandaro village. On 15 October 1997, Lakeland Ventures (Pvt) Ltd through its Director Noreece Lesley Hall made a cheque payment of $200 000 to Wenham Investments being the fourth payment for the purchase of Dandaro village.
On 7 January 1998, Lakeland Ventures (Pvt) Ltd through its Director Noreece Lesley Hall made a cheque payment of $50 000 to Wenham Investments representing full and final payment for the purchase of Dandaro village.
It is alleged that Graham on 11 May 2005, misrepresented that he bought Dandaro village from Wenham Investments (Pvt) Ltd and fraudulently caused the Registrar of Companies and Deeds to act upon that misrepresentation and transferred Dandaro village into his name well knowing that the property was bought by Lakeland Ventures (Pvt) Ltd.
On 18 March 2008, Gregory Graham Hall and Lesley Hall were appointed Directors of Lakeland Ventures (Pvt) Ltd.
On the same day, Lesley Hall was also appointed Secretary of the Lakeland Ventures (Pvt) Ltd. Graham was dismissed from the Directorship of Lakeland Ventures (Pvt) Ltd through a resolution of minutes of the Annual General Meeting held on 18 May 2008.
On 21 May 2008, Noreece Lesley Hall donated her 100 Voting shares to Gregory Hall and he became the major shareholder.
Graham has never owned any shares in the Company to date.
After his wife passed away, Graham sold Dandaro village to Stephen Heathcote Hacker for USD$250 000 and payment was made into Wintertons Legal Practitioners trust account.
He again caused Registrar of Deeds to transfer Dandaro village from his name into Stephen Heathcote Hacker name under Deed number 346/2017.
He sold it for US$250 000.
Mathew Masinge
Online Reporter