Bindura mayor Jacob Gwature remanded in custody over fraud allegations

Emma Zihonye

The Bindura Mayor, Jacob Gwature, has appeared before Harare magistrate Marehwanazvo Gofa, alongside his co-accused, Jonathan Kapasi, for allegedly defrauding a charity company of US$6 970.

The State, represented by prosecutor Pardon Dziva, alleges that in 2021 Jacob misrepresented to the Kitchen Table Charities Trust, a charity based in the United Kingdom, claiming that they ran a non-governmental organisation called Pamhonzi Rainbow that carried out humanitarian work.

Jacob and Jonathan deceived the Kitchen Table Charities Trust by expressing their intention to drill a community borehole at stand number 1305, Budiriro 1.

However, no borehole was actually drilled.

On May 21, 2021, the Kitchen Table Charities Trust transferred the sum of US$6 970 into Pamhodzi Rainbow Network’s bank account as requested.

The Kitchen Table Charities Trust made a follow-up and discovered that the agreed-upon borehole had not been drilled.

The matter was reported to the police, resulting in Gwature and Papasi’s arrest of Jacob and Jonathan.

Kitchen Table Charities Trust suffered a prejudice of US$6 970 and nothing was recovered.

Both were remanded in custody awaiting further legal proceedings and will appear in court on Friday for the ruling.