Kadungure’s bail conditions relaxed
By Tarisai Machakaire
HARARE – A Harare magistrate has temporarily suspended stringent bail conditions which were imposed on Genius Kadungure, a Harare businessman who is facing R1,5 million fraud charges.
Kadungure, famed for holding glitzy all-white parties, was reporting at CID Serious Fraud Squad every Monday to Friday and had surrendered his passport.
Through his lawyer Tafadzwa Hungwe, Kadungure pleaded with the court to release his passport because he intends to travel on business from August 1 to 25.
“We are praying that bail conditions be altered. Accused intends to travel on business and representations have been made with the National Prosecuting Authority,” he said.
“He even wanted to travel earlier but the investigating officer made indications that he was conducting extra-territorial investigations.
“However, he has since returned to the country.”
Magistrate Tendai Mahwe ordered the temporary release of Kadungure’s passport until August 27 when he is supposed to appear in court.
Kadungure also furnished the court with a copy of his return air tickets and an address of the place where he will be residing while out of the country.
The State alleges that Kadungure swindled Zanu PF MP for Chegutu West, Dexter Nduna, who is the managing director of Badon Enterprises (Pvt) Ltd, and a Kadoma-based miner only identified as Gatawa of R1 581 890.
It is the State’s case that sometime in November 2012, Kadungure and his accomplices created a fictitious company named Transco Civil Engineering purportedly based in South Africa and opened an Absa account for the company. The State alleges that Kadungure created an e-mail account named [email protected], pretending to be a legitimate representative of Marange Resources.
He then allegedly contacted the complainants over the phone and misrepresented himself as the chief buyer for Marange Resources, looking for mining pumps at competitive prices.
He allegedly referred complainants to his bogus company, Transco Civil Engineering in South Africa, on the pretext it was a recommended supplier for the pumps. On December 4, Gatawa sent his brother Enock to South Africa to purchase the pumps.
He was ordered to deposit R1 046 890 for the purchase of 10 flight pumps in the Absa bank account.
After the transfers, Enock was told by Transco Civil Engineering “officials” to go back to Zimbabwe and check for his parcel with DHL in three days.
On December 12, Gatawa went to DHL Airport branch to collect the pumps and was shocked to receive a parcel of cellphone chargers, instead. Daily News
