News / National
Businessman weeps uncontrollably in court
03 Sep 2012 at 04:06hrs | Views
A 49-year-old Mutare businessman who was facing two counts of fraud wept uncontrollably last Monday soon after he was remanded in custody by a Mutare magistrate.
Prashkumar Patel, the owner of Baba Trading, bursts into tears as prison officers escorted him to the holding cells.
His lawyer, Mr Lloyd Mvere of Mutungura and Partners, had to console him to arrest the unfolding drama.
Patel was arrested last week on allegations of defrauding two complainants in dubious business agreements he entered with them worth more than $100 000.
Public prosecutor, Mr Nelson Makunyire, told the court that sometime in May 2011, Patel approached the first complainant and lied to him that he had been awarded a contract by a company at Chiadzwa to build houses for the relocated families.
"The accused misrepresented to the complainant that he wanted a business partner. As a result of the misrepresentation, the complainant injected capital of $30 344 into the alleged project. The money was given to Patel," he said.
The State further alleged that Patel misrepresented to the complainant that he had used the money to purchase building materials from South Africa.
"The consignment never came," said Mr Makunyire.
The complainant is yet to recover his money. In the second count, the State alleges that in March 2011 at Baba Trading situated at Number 1, Herbert Chitepo Street in Mutare, Patel approached Godwin Chineka and lied to him that he wanted a business partner to expand his business.
"As a result of the misrepresentation, Patel acquired a loan from BancABC using Chineka's title deeds as collateral. He was given the money and spent it.
"He is now failing to repay the loan and the bank is now holding on to the complainant's property," said Mr Makunyire.
The State opposed bail saying Patel was a flight risk considering the amounts involved.
Mr Makunyire also argued that investigations were still in progress.
Mutare magistrate, Mr Daniel Shumba, remanded him in custody on Monday.
On Tuesday he was back in the dock for bail application. During the application, Mr Mvere cross-examined the investigating officer, Constable Milton Musavengane Nyamaroveso, how he arrested his client.
Cst Nyamaroveso said Patel had resisted arrest by locking himself in his house for more than two hours. He said his duties were also made difficult by a senior police officer who came to the scene and tried to obstruct the course of justice. Patel was only arrested after Cst Nyama phoned his superiors who then advised the senior officer who wanted to block the arrest to back off. Mr Mvere argued that his client was a good candidate for bail since he was a Zimbabwean citizen.
He offered to surrender his passport as assurance that he would not skip the country.
Mr Mvere said submissions by the State that the amount involved was huge could not be used to deny his client bail.
Mr Shumba was expected to rule on the bail application last Thursday.
Prashkumar Patel, the owner of Baba Trading, bursts into tears as prison officers escorted him to the holding cells.
His lawyer, Mr Lloyd Mvere of Mutungura and Partners, had to console him to arrest the unfolding drama.
Patel was arrested last week on allegations of defrauding two complainants in dubious business agreements he entered with them worth more than $100 000.
Public prosecutor, Mr Nelson Makunyire, told the court that sometime in May 2011, Patel approached the first complainant and lied to him that he had been awarded a contract by a company at Chiadzwa to build houses for the relocated families.
"The accused misrepresented to the complainant that he wanted a business partner. As a result of the misrepresentation, the complainant injected capital of $30 344 into the alleged project. The money was given to Patel," he said.
The State further alleged that Patel misrepresented to the complainant that he had used the money to purchase building materials from South Africa.
"The consignment never came," said Mr Makunyire.
The complainant is yet to recover his money. In the second count, the State alleges that in March 2011 at Baba Trading situated at Number 1, Herbert Chitepo Street in Mutare, Patel approached Godwin Chineka and lied to him that he wanted a business partner to expand his business.
"As a result of the misrepresentation, Patel acquired a loan from BancABC using Chineka's title deeds as collateral. He was given the money and spent it.
"He is now failing to repay the loan and the bank is now holding on to the complainant's property," said Mr Makunyire.
The State opposed bail saying Patel was a flight risk considering the amounts involved.
Mr Makunyire also argued that investigations were still in progress.
Mutare magistrate, Mr Daniel Shumba, remanded him in custody on Monday.
On Tuesday he was back in the dock for bail application. During the application, Mr Mvere cross-examined the investigating officer, Constable Milton Musavengane Nyamaroveso, how he arrested his client.
Cst Nyamaroveso said Patel had resisted arrest by locking himself in his house for more than two hours. He said his duties were also made difficult by a senior police officer who came to the scene and tried to obstruct the course of justice. Patel was only arrested after Cst Nyama phoned his superiors who then advised the senior officer who wanted to block the arrest to back off. Mr Mvere argued that his client was a good candidate for bail since he was a Zimbabwean citizen.
He offered to surrender his passport as assurance that he would not skip the country.
Mr Mvere said submissions by the State that the amount involved was huge could not be used to deny his client bail.
Mr Shumba was expected to rule on the bail application last Thursday.
Source - Manica Post
