HARARE butcher Mike Harris Chiyangwa has appeared before the courts on allegations of stealing $33,000 from a commodity broker in a botched deal.
The accused, a son to the late businessman Jimmy ‘Jimalo’ Chiyangwa, appeared before magistrate Josephine Sande who remanded him out of custody on $150 bail.
The complainant in the case is one Peace Murimba.
According to prosecutor Peter Kachirika, Chiyangwa operates a butchery at Machipisa shopping centre in Highfields.
Court heard that, on 10 October last year, the butcher allegedly phoned Murimba and introduced himself as Evans Mafirakureva.
It is alleged that Chiyangwa then told Murimba that he had R200,000 in South Africa and was looking for someone to exchange the sum with for an equivalent amount in US dollars.
Prosecutors said later, on the same day, one Tony, who introduced himself as Chiyangwa’s brother called Murimba using a South African number saying he was in possession of R200,000 as stated by the butcher.
Court heard Murimba then approached a company he did business with, which was identified as NemChem. The firm agreed to pre-finance a transaction in which Murimba was supposed to provide them with raw materials for their business.
Court heard the company transferred $37,142 into Murimba’s account. Murimba then instructed Tony to deposit R200,000 into his South African account.
He advised Chiyangwa and Tony that the funds would be released upon confirmation of deposit slips.
The following day, it is alleged that Tony called Murimba saying he had deposited R200,000 into his account. He then faxed purported copies of deposit slips.
Marimba then met Chiyangwa the following day and gave him $31,000 at a local hotel. Court heard he also transferred $1,888 into his EcoCash account.
On October 20, Murimba then received a call from STR agencies in South Africa to the effect that the deposited cheques had been dishonoured by the bank.
Murimba then contacted Chiyangwa who became evasive, prompting him to report the case to the police.
