Kadungure gets bail reprieve

By Tendai Kamhungira

HARARE – Businessman Genius Kadungure, who is facing R1,5 million fraud charges, has been granted a bail reprieve after a Harare magistrate relaxed his police reporting conditions yesterday.

Kadungure, through his lawyer Tafadzwa Hungwe, asked Harare magistrate Tendai Mahwe to alter the bail conditions, arguing that it was in the interest of justice and that the State
would not be prejudiced in any way.

Kadungure was reporting to the police everyday, but wanted the reporting conditions altered to once every week.

Prosecutor Sharon Mashavira said she was not opposed to the application. She however, said investigations into the matter were complete.

Mahwe granted the request before postponing the matter to September 10.

The businessman is accused of swindling Chegutu West Zanu PF MP 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 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 court heard, the flamboyant businessman created an e-mail account named [email protected], pretending to be a legitimate representative of Marange Resources.

He allegedly contacted the complainants over the phone and misrepresented to be the chief buyer for Marange Resources looking for mining pumps at competitive prices.

He referred complainants to Transco Civil Engineering in South Africa on the pretext it was a recommended supplier for the pumps.

Gatawa, reportedly 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.

Gatawa went to DHL, Airport branch to collect the pumps and was shocked to receive a parcel of cell phone chargers, instead. Daily News