FORMER Information deputy minister Bright Matonga appeared
in court yesterday facing charges of duping a Malawian national of US$10 000 in
a botched deal to supply demonetised Zimbabwe trillion dollar notes.
Matonga (51), who is jointly charged with Onesmo Ndoro
(47), appeared before Harare magistrate Barbara Mateko, who remanded them to
June 27 on $300 bail each.
The complainant in the matter is Kelvin Chipeta, who is
based in South Africa. Matonga is denying the allegations, saying he did not
receive any money from the complainant.
The former minister was, however, placed on remand by
consensus after his lawyers Musekiwa Mbanje and Lucky Dube had insisted that
their client could not be placed on remand in the absence of the complainant.
The complainant is believed to have skipped the border after he overstayed his
permit in the country.
Allegations are that sometime in March this year, Chipeta
was requested by a United States company to acquire demonetised Zimbabwean
trillion dollars notes. Chipeta then contacted Matonga through a social media
platform and enquired whether he was able to supply the notes.
It is alleged that Matonga referred Chipeta to Ndoro who is
licenced to deal in the notes in Zimbabwe.
The State avers that both parties agreed that Ndoro would
supply 3 000 Zimbabwean trillion dollar notes for $10 000. Chipeta and his
unnamed partner immediately travelled to Zimbabwe with $10 000 which they
declared with the immigration officials.
Matonga and Ndoro then received Chipeta and his partner at
Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport and went to a restaurant in
Alexandra Park where they were to seal the deal.
Chipeta allegedly handed over US$10 000 to Ndoro, who later
counted the money with Matonga. And after counting the money, Ndoro allegedly
walked out of the restaurant to ostensibly collect the Zimbabwe trillion dollar
notes.
Chipeta and his partner were left seated with Matonga as
they waited for Ndoro to return, but he never came back. It is said they tried
to call him, but could not get through.
Matonga allegedly kept on reassuring the complainant that
Ndoro would return, but to no avail.
Sebastian Mutizirwa appeared for the State. Newsday
0 comments:
Post a Comment