Michael Mashiri
A senior partner and Lead Crisis consultant has been arraigned before the courts accused of stealing US$49 200.
Chiedza Kambasha, 41, of Crowhill Road, Borrowdale Brooke, appeared before magistrate Lynne Chizhou at the Harare Magistrates’ Courts charged with theft of trust property.
She was ordered to deposit US$300 as bail and will report once every week at the nearest police station.
The complainant in this matter is Princesse Xela Katuala, 24, a Congolese national of Plot number 1, New Martins Thorpe, Goromonzi.
The State, through prosecutor Rufaro Chonzi, alleges that sometime in 2006, Katuala came to Zimbabwe with her father Jacques Ghifem Katuala and step-mother Jacquie Bontamba Soketsu Katuala.
Her father was a consultant for NGOs in Zimbabwe while the step-mother was working at the Embassy of the Democratic Republic of Congo as a secretary.
The State alleges that, in 2011, Katuala’s father passed away and left a house situated at number 12 Morningside Drive, Mount Pleasant, Harare registered under deed of transfer number 14021/2002.
On December 22, 2021, Katuala’s step mother also passed away, leaving the house to her.
Katuala’s relatives, who are in the DRC and in the United Kingdom, mutually agreed with Kambasha to be the custodian of Katuala since she was a close friend of her step-mother.
In May 2023, Katuala registered the Estate of her father with the Master of High Court and the house was shortlisted as part of the estate property.
She was duly appointed the executor of her late father’s estate.
It is alleged that in the same month of May 2023, Katuala agreed with her relatives to sell the house and they acquired the authority to do so from the Master of the High Court.
On May 18, 2023, the house was sold to one Tafadzwa Samson Chiweshe for US$350 000.
Chiweshe paid a deposit of US$50 000 to Katuala and agreed to settle the balance upon transfer of the property into his name.
It is alleged that after receiving the US$50 000, Katuala entrusted Kambasha with US$49 200 while waiting for the balance from Chiweshe.
He State alleges that the money, Kambasha violated the trust agreement bestowed in her and converted the money to her own use.
The matter came to light after Chiweshe cancelled the agreement when he requested back his money back.
That is when Katuala realised that Kambasha had no money held in trust, prompting her to report the matter to the police.
As a result of Kambasha’s conduct, Katuala, allegedly lost US$49 200 and nothing was recovered.
Patience Muchemwa | Senior ReporterMichelle Kim Zuze, known on the track as “Panther” and affectionately called “Mhepo” by friends, is a Zimbabwean sprinter who has proudly represented her country i..
ZimbabweMunyaradzi Mashiri- Court CorrespondentA 27-year-old Logan Farm man has appeared in court facing charges of theft of trust property after allegedly duping a prospective car buyer of US$6,700 in a fr..
ZimbabweMunyaradzi Mashiri- Court CorrespondentA 29-year-old man from Budiriro 1 has been arrested for allegedly masquerading as a police detective and extorting money from a suspect in a car parts theft ca..
Zimbabwe
Leave Comments