Chinese businesswoman, Li Song, has been issued with a second warrant of arrest after skipping a trial in a matter where she is facing charges of fraud.
She was already sitting on another arrest warrant.
Song, who is represented by Oliver Marwa, had submitted a doctor's note saying she is sick, but the State said it will investigate the doctor's note.
The State represented by Shiela Mupindu and Lancelot Mutsokoti asked the court orderly to call Song three times outside to no avail.
Magistrate Stanford Mambanje then issued a warrant of arrest.
Song is facing several allegations of fraud and theft among others.
She is also locked in a legal dispute with her business partner Francesco Marconati.
According to the State, audit findings from June 1, 2020, and September 30, 2021, indicate that a total sum of US$809,407.83 was disbursed to overseas firms.
It is also alleged that an affidavit submitted by the Head of Trade Operations and Exchange Control Manager, Mr. Nyaumwe, along with bank statements and bid documents pertaining to Eagle Italian Shoe Company, demonstrates that they have outstanding acquittals concerning import documentation.
The audit uncovered that the company had outstanding acquittals totaling US$405,200.66 from its available funds for payments made via a local bank over a span of three years, culminating on December 31, 2016.
There are no bills of entry or commercial invoices to substantiate that goods and services were indeed delivered to Eagle Italian Shoes (Private) Limited for all the payments made.
This lack of documentation led to the suspension of the company’s accounts with its two banks due to the failure to present bills of entry.
Following investigations, the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) furnished the police with details regarding auction allotments and foreign payments allocated to Eagle Italian Shoes Company and its subsidiary companies.
Specifically, DGL Investments Number Nine received auction allotments totaling USD$859,880.80, and through this entity, the accused made foreign payments amounting to US$1,659,851.10.
Another company, Strengthened Investments (Pvt) Ltd, received auction allotments worth USD$1,018,101.21, and the accused proceeded to make foreign payments totaling USD$1,129,311.96 through this entity.