News / National
Mutodi demands trial date
05 Jul 2013 at 03:45hrs | Views
Businessman and musician Energy Mutodi, accused of swindling more than 16 000 civil servants of money amounting to more than US$6 million, has notified the court of his intentions to apply for refusal of further remand. Mutodi (34) who is represented by Mr Tendai Hangazha of Hangazha and Partners, is being charged with fraud. Through his
lawyer, Mutodi last week said he would make an application for refusal of further remand on the next remand date July 28, if he is not furnished with a trial date.
In response, prosecutor Mr Tungamirai Chakurira said the State is not ready to provide Mutodi with a trial date.
"Your worship this is a complex fraud involving more than 1 000 witnesses and prejudice of over six million.
"How, honestly, could defence counsel expect us to be ready to give a trial date so soon?
"Accused has only been on remand for two weeks, defence counsel is simply not serious. Even on the next remand date we will not be ready," he said.
Magistrate Mr Donald Ndirowei remanded the matter to July 28.
Prosecutor Mr Tungamirai Chakurira alleged that sometime in 2006, Mutodi formed the National Housing Delivery Trust with other trustees.
It was agreed that the trust would appoint trustees that would constitute board of trustees with Mutodi as chairman.
The purported objective of the trust was to acquire land in urban areas and towns and service it for residential purposes for its clients or members.
It is the State's case that Mutodi knew that the trust was created as a vehicle to fleece money from home seekers.
A Kingdom Bank account was opened for which Mutodi was one of the signatories. The account was meant to secure all contributions from members of the trust and the funds were meant to procure land, service and build houses for clients under different schemes.
It is alleged that Mutodi invited membership from civil servants after misrepresenting to them that he would procure, service and build houses for them once they joined and contributed money.
At least 16 000 civil servants acted on the misrepresentation by joining and contributing to the trust.
lawyer, Mutodi last week said he would make an application for refusal of further remand on the next remand date July 28, if he is not furnished with a trial date.
In response, prosecutor Mr Tungamirai Chakurira said the State is not ready to provide Mutodi with a trial date.
"Your worship this is a complex fraud involving more than 1 000 witnesses and prejudice of over six million.
"How, honestly, could defence counsel expect us to be ready to give a trial date so soon?
"Accused has only been on remand for two weeks, defence counsel is simply not serious. Even on the next remand date we will not be ready," he said.
Magistrate Mr Donald Ndirowei remanded the matter to July 28.
Prosecutor Mr Tungamirai Chakurira alleged that sometime in 2006, Mutodi formed the National Housing Delivery Trust with other trustees.
It was agreed that the trust would appoint trustees that would constitute board of trustees with Mutodi as chairman.
The purported objective of the trust was to acquire land in urban areas and towns and service it for residential purposes for its clients or members.
It is the State's case that Mutodi knew that the trust was created as a vehicle to fleece money from home seekers.
A Kingdom Bank account was opened for which Mutodi was one of the signatories. The account was meant to secure all contributions from members of the trust and the funds were meant to procure land, service and build houses for clients under different schemes.
It is alleged that Mutodi invited membership from civil servants after misrepresenting to them that he would procure, service and build houses for them once they joined and contributed money.
At least 16 000 civil servants acted on the misrepresentation by joining and contributing to the trust.
Source - Herald
