Man convicted of fraud involving R440 000

Yeukai Karengezeka

Court Correspondent

A 39-YEAR-OLD man has been found guilty of swindling a South Africa-based mining company, Davure Mining, of R440 000.

Calton Muduwiwa had denied the fraud charge when he appeared before Harare regional magistrate, Mr Stanford Mambanje but was convicted after a full trial.

Sentencing is expected to be pronounced in due course.

Following the conviction of Muduwiwa, prosecutor Mr Ngoni Kaseke argued for a severe penalty, citing the gravity of the crime and its far-reaching implications.

He urged the court to consider a sentence commensurate with the seriousness of the offence, which carries a potential 35-year term and a presumptive minimum of 20 years.

“The sum involved is substantial, and not a single cent has been recovered. Beyond the financial loss, the accused also violated the trust of a friend, further compounding the severity of his actions,” said Mr Kaseke.

Davure Mining, the complainant in the matter, was represented by its manager, Mr Masimba Mukarati. The company, which operates across South Africa and Zimbabwe, has diverse interests in mining, cattle ranching, and agriculture.

Mr Mukarati recounted the profound betrayal he felt after placing his trust in Muduwiwa, whom he had regarded as a close friend.

“I trusted him blindly, believing he was someone I could count on. Instead, he left me humiliated and in trouble with my employer. They are demanding the money back, and this incident has irreparably damaged their trust in me,” Mr Mukarati said.

The court heard that the ordeal began on October 20, 2021, when Mr Mukarati sought to purchase a Toyota Hilux Legend 50 double-cab from South Africa.

 Muduwiwa, presenting himself as a trusted ally, offered to assist with importing the vehicle.

 Acting on Muduwiwa’s instructions, Davure Mining transferred R440,000 from its South African FNB Bank account to a company called Wish Worthy Investments, which was purportedly the supplier of the vehicle.

After completing the payment, Mr Mukarati provided Muduwiwa with proof of the transaction, expecting the process to proceed smoothly. However, the promised vehicle never materialised.

Instead, Muduwiwa resorted to evasive tactics, offering a litany of excuses and false assurances about the vehicle’s arrival. As suspicions mounted and the truth became undeniable, Mr Mukarati reported the matter to the police, culminating in Muduwiwa’s arrest.