News / National
Mphoko's son, daughter-in-law appear in court
13 Oct 2018 at 07:42hrs | Views
FORMER Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko's son, Siqokoqela and his wife Nomagugu Mphoko (36) on Friday appeared before a Bulawayo magistrate's court facing charges of fraud and extortion respectively.
Magistrate Adelaide Mbeure remanded Siqokoqela to the 17th of October while Nomagugu will be back in the court on the 19th.
The couple's lawyer, Khululekani Sibanda requested for the postponement of the trial arguing that his clients had not been served with the court papers.
Nomagugu, who is being represented by Welshman Ncube of Mathonsi Law Chambers, is facing 49 counts of extortion.
Nomagugu, who is out on $200 bail, allegedly ordered 15 Choppies Supermarket managers in Bulawayo to give her $30 230 cash from their Point of Sale (POS) machines after threatening them with either deportation or dismissal.
According to the State papers, sometime in June this year, Nanavac Investments, trading as Choppies Zimbabwe, issued a directive to all its supermarket managers against giving out cash realised from sales to individuals whose arrangement is to replace the equivalent through swiping at point of sale machines.
Prosecutor Nkathazo Dlodlo told the court that between June 13 and 29 this year, Nomagugu went to the complainants, some of whom are Indian nationals, and demanded cash during which she also threatened to either get them fired or deported if they refused to comply.
The court heard that Nomagugu would then swipe the equivalent of the money received using different bank cards.
She was initially jointly charged with her husband but the charges were later separated and she is now facing 49 counts of extortion.
On the other hand according to the State, Siqokoqela, a Choppies director who is also on $200 bail, is facing 170 charges of fraud as defined in section 136 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act chapter 9:23.
Mphoko who is a director for Nanavac Investments Private Limited, a local partner to the Botswana-registered Choppies Distribution Centre (Proprietary) Limited, is accused of abusing his power to allegedly loot cash realised from sales at different supermarkets and replacing it with transfers.
According to State papers Mphoko, who is a non-executive director, fooled employees, from whom he collected cash, goods or services that money would be deducted from his salary.
Thereafter he would instruct the finance department not to deduct any amount from his salary. Mphoko allegedly prejudiced Choppies of $51 945.53 in total.
Mphoko is alleged to have given employees the impression that he was at the helm of the company to the extent that he was answerable to no one but himself. He is reported to have also threatened employees with dismissal or deportation if they questioned him.
The matter came to light in May this year when the group CEO was conducting an audit.
The state was represented by Nkathazo Dlodlo.
Additional reporting from NewZimbabwe.com
Magistrate Adelaide Mbeure remanded Siqokoqela to the 17th of October while Nomagugu will be back in the court on the 19th.
The couple's lawyer, Khululekani Sibanda requested for the postponement of the trial arguing that his clients had not been served with the court papers.
Nomagugu, who is being represented by Welshman Ncube of Mathonsi Law Chambers, is facing 49 counts of extortion.
Nomagugu, who is out on $200 bail, allegedly ordered 15 Choppies Supermarket managers in Bulawayo to give her $30 230 cash from their Point of Sale (POS) machines after threatening them with either deportation or dismissal.
According to the State papers, sometime in June this year, Nanavac Investments, trading as Choppies Zimbabwe, issued a directive to all its supermarket managers against giving out cash realised from sales to individuals whose arrangement is to replace the equivalent through swiping at point of sale machines.
Prosecutor Nkathazo Dlodlo told the court that between June 13 and 29 this year, Nomagugu went to the complainants, some of whom are Indian nationals, and demanded cash during which she also threatened to either get them fired or deported if they refused to comply.
The court heard that Nomagugu would then swipe the equivalent of the money received using different bank cards.
On the other hand according to the State, Siqokoqela, a Choppies director who is also on $200 bail, is facing 170 charges of fraud as defined in section 136 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act chapter 9:23.
Mphoko who is a director for Nanavac Investments Private Limited, a local partner to the Botswana-registered Choppies Distribution Centre (Proprietary) Limited, is accused of abusing his power to allegedly loot cash realised from sales at different supermarkets and replacing it with transfers.
According to State papers Mphoko, who is a non-executive director, fooled employees, from whom he collected cash, goods or services that money would be deducted from his salary.
Thereafter he would instruct the finance department not to deduct any amount from his salary. Mphoko allegedly prejudiced Choppies of $51 945.53 in total.
Mphoko is alleged to have given employees the impression that he was at the helm of the company to the extent that he was answerable to no one but himself. He is reported to have also threatened employees with dismissal or deportation if they questioned him.
The matter came to light in May this year when the group CEO was conducting an audit.
The state was represented by Nkathazo Dlodlo.
Additional reporting from NewZimbabwe.com
Source - Additional reporting from NewZimbabwe.com
