Gono Emerges as Key Witness in Valley Lodge Saga

Staff Reporter

Former Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe governor, Gideon Gono, is slated to appear in court on June 13 as a pivotal witness in a ZWL172 million fraud case involving Harare couple Clark and Beverly Makoni, who stand accused of fraudulently seizing control of his company, Valley Lodge.

The State alleges that the Makonis orchestrated a sophisticated scheme, beginning with the forgery of a CR14 form. This document, central to the prosecution's argument, purportedly appointed Clark Makoni as director and company secretary of Valley Lodge, with Beverly Makoni designated as his deputy.

Further accusations include the couple’s alleged misrepresentation to the bank, where they falsely claimed to be new shareholders in a bid to change signatories to Valley Lodge’s bank accounts. The prosecution firmly contends that through these fraudulent acts, the Makonis illicitly took over the complainant's company, gained unauthorized access to its bank accounts, and ultimately embezzled the staggering ZWL172 million.

However, the Makonis vehemently deny all allegations. In their defense, they assert that Gono possesses the full truth regarding their agreements, and that all current witness testimonies are based on hearsay. They maintain that no other individuals were present during their arrangements with Gono, emphasizing that only he can provide clarity and accurate details concerning the contentious issues.

To date, no witnesses have presented direct knowledge of the relationship or prior agreements between the accused couple and Gono. This lack of direct insight from previous testimonies has significantly heightened anticipation for Gono's appearance, with expectations that his testimony will be instrumental in shedding light on the intricate details of the matter.

Following Gono’s testimony, the State intends to present evidence from the investigating officer, Eric Chacha, before officially closing its case.

The trial has already seen several witnesses take the stand. On Friday, Fadzai Chiro, former accountant for Valley Lodge, testified that the Makonis were indeed managing the business. Chiro, who confirmed she had never met Beverly Makoni before encountering her in court, stated she had no prior knowledge of the fraud allegations until her statement was officially recorded by authorities.

Earlier in the proceedings, another witness, Lindiwe Sabeka, had averred that the Makonis were managing the estate and had allegedly misappropriated funds by paying themselves salaries. Yet, Chiro, in her capacity as the accountant, stated she no longer possessed complete knowledge of everyone on the salary schedules and admitted she might omit names if asked to list them comprehensively. She further clarified the financial workflow at the lodge, explaining that money was initially received by the front office and subsequently transferred to the accounts office. Chiro also stated that she received all payment instructions directly from her manager, Elizabeth Tachiona.

During her testimony, Chiro also revealed that she had no knowledge of a complainant named George Mashinganyika, stating emphatically that he was never part of the management team. Furthermore, she was unfamiliar with Galworks, the company from which auditor Sabeka allegedly originated.