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Court Correspondent
THE trial of Harare businessman Michael Smith who allegedly defrauded MA Auto Suppliers, trading as Mr Cruiser, of at least US$38 000 and R124 000 continued yesterday with the State leading three more witnesses.
Smith is facing two counts of theft of trust property, 12 counts of fraud and 25 counts of corruptly concealing transactions from his principal, Mr Michael Scott Asher, before Harare magistrate Mrs Ethel Chichera.
Prosecutor Mr Anesu Chirenje led evidence from Leejon Thomas who is employed as a workshop foreman.
He testified that on December 6, 2021 he was on duty as a mechanic and was assigned to work on a Nissan Qashqai registration number ADV9004 belonging to Shyanne Smith, who is Smith’s daughter-in-law.
He added that on different dates from January 25, 2022 he was assigned to work on different cars belonging to Smith, his son and daughter and used parts and spares from the company’s stores.
“On October 7, 2022, I was assigned to work on an axle for the Landcruiser 79 series. The axle belonged to a company in Mana Pools. I attended to the axle with the assistance of a fellow mechanic called Stanley Mangondolo using parts and spares drawn from the company’s stores,” said Thomas.
Another witness, Stanley Mangondolo, a head mechanic, was made to work on Smith’s trailer which needed fabrication of its suspension.
He also worked on an axle for a Landcruiser 79 series which belonged to a company in Mana Pools on the orders of Smith, among several other vehicles.
Last to testify is Abigail Nyandoro, employed by MA Auto Suppliers (Pvt) Ltd as a salesperson.
She told the court that she knew Smith as a former director of MA Auto Suppliers [Pvt] Ltd who took some company property in her presence.
“I recall that on June 22, 2022, I was at work at the Outdoor Shop when I was approached by Smith who told me that he was taking a 95-litre dual door Flex fridge/freezer, a fridge slide and a connection socket all valued at US$1 390.
“He said he was sorting payment for the items with Christine Vella who is the finance manager and then issued a sales order in respect of the items for accountability purposes,” she said.
Nyandoro is still on the witness stand and trial is expected to resume on August 23.
Online Reporter