PROMINENT businessman and corporate executive Shongwe Michael Ndoro’s ex-wife, Precious Star has been acquitted of fraud and money laundering charges.
Precious, a former director of Inter fruit (Pvt) Limited, was being accused of stealing US$2,5 million from the company she jointly owned with her ex-husband.
“From the foregoing, the State didn’t prove essential elements for both counts. It is also clear that he (ex-husband) was aware of withdrawal since 2014. He did nothing about it. The charges were reported after he was sued for divorce,” Harare magistrate Taurai Manuwere said in his ruling.
“Why did he wait for about five years to report to the police? No doubt that the matrimonial problems between the accused are the cradle of this charge.
“Accordingly, the accused person is hereby discharged at the close of the case. Resultantly, I hereby find the accused person not guilty.”
Precious and Michael divorced in 2019, but the High Court had reserved the issue of equitable division of marital assets due to pending cases.
The ex-husband is also being accused of fraudulently removing her from the directorship of Zororo Energy, a company they formed together in 2018.