By Charles Laiton
Television and radio personality Tichafa Matambanadzo, popularly known as Tich Mataz, together with Zanu PF Hatfield constituency losing candidate Acie Lumumba Mutumanje, have been taken to the High Court on allegations of swindling Zimpapers’ StarFM radio station of $75 410.
The two men are jointly cited as first and second respondents alongside two other firms — Hamtech Investments and Onesay Investments — also cited as third and fourth respondents respectively.
According to the court summons filed on Friday last week under case number HC4917/15, Matambanadzo is alleged to have misrepresented to various StarFM clients that included the European Union, United States Embassy and the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec), among several others.
“The first and second defendants (Matambanadzo and Mutumanje) fraudulently billed clients and used third and fourth defendants’ (Hamtech Investments and Onesay Investments) accounts to divert funds which were rightfully the plaintiff’s (StarFM),” the summons read.
In the court papers, the radio station said between November 2012 and March 2013, it aired a sponsored programme called Solution for European Union, for which a payment of ₣36 000 ($46 630,80) was paid to Hamtech Investments after Matambanadzo allegedly misrepresented to the EU that the firm was StarFM’s agent.
Of the paid amount, it is alleged only $6 301 was paid in cash to StarFM by Mutumanje on February 1 2013, leaving an outstanding balance of $40 329,80.
StarFM further alleges, between October 22 2012 and February 28 2013, it also aired a programme called International Relations for the American Embassy valued at $6 210, which amount was billed by Matambanadzo and paid into Hamtech Investments’ account, but were never remitted to StarFM.
Mataz is alleged to have pocketed $20 500 which was paid by Zec through Hamtech Investments after StarFM aired the commission’s programmes.
“Between November 2012 and February 2013, Ster Kinekor adverts for new movie house opening were aired by plaintiff worth $15 327. However, the first defendant billed Ster Kinekor via fourth defendant (Onesay investment) and $12 600 was paid to fourth defendant and was never remitted to plaintiff,” StarFM said.
The radio station also claims sometime in 2013, it entered into an agreement with OK Zimbabwe to sponsor a live radio show called OK Shoppers’ Choice and Matambanadzo billed OK Zimbabwe through Onesay Investments $5 780, of which $5 202 was paid, but never remitted to StarFM.
Other firms that were billed by Mataz are Goldtech, Cellone Electronics and Status Quo.
Mataz is yet to enter an appearance to defend notice. NewsDay
