Monday, July 29, 2013

SDA News - Duo Defrauds Seventh Day Adventist Church of U.S.$170 000

Zimbabwe:
Duo Defrauds Seventh Day Adventist Church of
U.S.$170 000
"TWO Harare men who connived to defraud the Seventh Day Adventist Church of Malawi of more than US$170 000 in a botched sugar beans supply deal have appeared in court. Alphius Chikazhe (34) and Martha Munotyaani (29) pleaded not guilty to fraud charges when they appeared before Harare magistrate Ms Anita Tshuma who remanded them to October 15 on US$200 each.
As part of their bail conditions they were ordered to surrender travel documents and report once every week to the police.
Zimbabwe

Prosecutor Mr Tungamirai Chakurira alleged that the complainant was SDA Malawi Blantyre circuit represented by Mr Cannan Bova.
It is alleged that sometime in June this year the duo, together with Harold Chunga and Stanley Chirwa who are still at large hatched a plan to defraud the church.
Chikazhe informed Bova's business partner Tendai Chawasema that he had an order from Allied Agricultural Commodities (AAC) (Pvt) Ltd which is situated in Arundel Park to supply them with sugar beans, the court heard.
On June 9, it is alleged, Chikazhe and Munotyaani proceeded to Malawi together with Bova before presenting a purported order of AAC letterhead to Chawasema.
They further indicated that AAC was prepared to pay US$210 000 for 150 tonnes of sugar beans.
On July 2, SDA gave Chawasema US$170 000 to source the beans in Malawi and managed to get 120 tonnes, the court was told.
SDA transported the beans from Malawi in four 30-tonne trucks and on July 22 they delivered the consignment at a warehouse in the Workington industrial area.
The pair misrepresented that the warehouse was theirs and gave the SDA the goods received voucher acknowledging receipt of the beans.
Bova then issued an invoice with a value of US$205 424 for the beans to Chikazhe and Munotyaani.
Munotyaani, the court heard, told Bova payment was to be made from South Africa in a week before they were given import papers for the sugar beans.
On July 31, Chikazhe and Munotyaani told Bova they had tried to transfer the money via internet and failed.
Bova failed to contact the pair for sometime which led to him filing a police report." allAfrica.com

Neither shalt thou steal.
Deuteronomy 5:19