COMMERCE Veritas (Pvt) Ltd chief executive Martin Tswarai Mutenda, who was recently arrested for allegedly defrauding the late Cabinet minister Joel Biggie Matiza’s estate, has been granted bail.
Harare magistrate Marehwanazvo Gofa granted Mutenda (55) US$500 bail and remanded the matter to June 14 this year.
Mutenda initially appeared in court on May 2 this year after Matiza’s 26-year-old son, Batsirai, sued him for failing to own up to a US$2 million deal he had entered into with Matiza’s late wife Lillian in 2023.
He allegedly misrepresented the appointment of the late Lillian as a director for a construction company whose other directors are Jerome Leroy and Taurai Negonde.
He is also alleged to have appointed himself the company secretary.
The court heard that Lillian then supplied road equipment including a pneumatic roller, paver and office furniture which she took from her company called Studio Arts (Pvt) Limited on the understanding that she would be paid US$2 million at the end of project.
According to the State, Batsirai approached Mutenda in December last year after his mother had died requesting him to deposit the money he owed his mother into the Biggie Joel Trust in which he and other relatives are beneficiaries.
Mutenda allegedly refused and Batsirai reported the matter to the police.
- Suspected estate defrauder granted bail
Keep Reading
He was subsequently arrested.
