Michael Mashiri
A man Mike Harris Toyota employee has been taken to court after he used his position as a sales manager to steal US$1 710 767.
Shakeman Ben, 51, of Chishawasha appeared before magistrate Marehwanazvo Gofa at the Harare Magistrates’ Courts accused of two counts of fraud and one of money laundering.
The State, through prosecutor Pardon Dziva, alleges that from December 1, 2020 to September 19, 2023, Ben allegedly defrauded his boss during the course of his duties.
While at his place of employment, at Mike Harris Toyota located at number 111 Lomagundi Road, Ben allegedly used doctored invoices which had the company’s letter to give to various customers.
He did not deposit the money he received from the customers or enter the transactions in the system, but went on to buy cars from African Mobile Solutions, AMS, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, using third party payments on the pretext that it was Mike Harris Toyota buying the cars.
Using complainant’s dealership he went on to buy several cars, leading to deductions of the complainant’s bank account.
He allegedly did not register these transactions in the company’s standard operating procedures, with the intention of prejudicing the complainant of the money.
The complainant tried to purchase motor vehicles from AMS and was told that its bank account, which is used to buy cars, was in arrears.
They then checked the transactions and discovered that they were not aware of 27 cars which were brought using its dealership and bank account.
They then engaged auditors and unearthed the offence and reported to the police.
The total actual prejudice was US$445 038 and US$1 600 was recovered.
In the second count, the complainant is Altocs Motors Trading as Mike Harris Car Sales, a corporate body which is in the business of importing and selling cars and its accessories.
It is a sister company to the complainant in the first matter.
The State, through prosecutor Pardon Dziva, alleges that sometime between January 1, 2017 and September 19, 2023, Ben during the course of his duties in the capacity of a sales manager received pre-owned cars from customers for sale while at the company premises.
He allegedly did not register these transactions in the company’s standard operating procedures, with the intention of prejudicing the complainant of the money and sales.
It is alleged that Ben received US$1 710 767 from buyers of the cars, and issued fake and fraudulent receipts on Altocs Motors letterheads, and these transactions were done off books as he did not surrender the proceeds to the complainant.
The court heard that he originated, executed and closed the transactions on his own.
The offence was discovered by forensic auditors, who are currently auditing the financial record of the complainant.
The total value that was stolen was US$1 710 767 and nothing was recovered.
The State alleges that as a way of disguising how he had acquired the money, Ben went on to buy a Ford Ranger Wild Track on February 15, 2023, and other properties yet to be identified.
He was ordered to deposit US$500 and will appear in court on November 28 for his routine remand.
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