Latest News Editor's Choice


News / National

Businesswoman up for fraud

by Staff reporter
26 Jul 2019 at 08:15hrs | Views
A BULAWAYO businesswoman has been taken to court for allegedly clandestinely selling her car, a Mercedes Benz worth US$28 000 to two different clients.

Ms Vimbai Manemo of Khumalo suburb sold her car to Mr Herman Jones of Morningside suburb in the city in violation of an agreement of sale she had with Mr Elvis Basira who had already paid part of the money towards purchasing the vehicle.

Mr Basira, through his lawyer, Mr Bruce Masamvu of Dube-Tachiona and Tsvangirai Legal Practitioners, filed a court application at the Bulawayo High Court seeking an order nullifying the agreement of sale between Ms Manemo and Mr Jones pending another application under case number HC144/18.

In papers before the court, Ms Manemo and Mr Jones were cited as respondents. In his founding affidavit, Mr Basira said he paid US$16 550 in December 2017 and undertook to pay the balance at a later stage.  

"In terms of the agreement with the first respondent (Ms Manemo), I paid half of the agreed US$28 000 and I was given possession of the car, a Mercedes Benz C220 in December 2017. After I got possession of the car, first respondent in the company of a police officer then came and took the motor vehicle from a car park alleging that it was stolen from her," he said.

Mr Basira said when he offered to pay the balance to Ms Manemo, she initially evaded him before subsequently refusing to accept the outstanding amount.

He said despite the existing agreement of sale, Ms Manemo went on to sell the car in March this year to Mr Jones.

"The first respondent sold the vehicle fully aware that it is a subject of litigation before this honourable court and that she had not cancelled our agreement of sale. I submit that the sale of agreement between the two respondents is therefore null and void as it was just done out of malice intending to defeat my claim under HC144/18," Mr Basira said.

He said he entered into a written sale of agreement with Ms Manemo on August 10, 2017 in terms of which he bought the car at a cost of US$28 000.  He paid US$16 550 and undertook to pay the outstanding balance at a rate of US$1 000 per week from the date of the signing of the pact.

In his summons filed last year, which are still pending before the same court, Mr Basira said despite payment of more than half of the purchase price, Ms Manemo has failed, refused and neglected to deliver the car to him.

"The defendant has on diverse occasions refused to accept payments from the plaintiff and is thus in breach of the agreement," he said.

Ms Manemo is yet to respond to the latest application filed under HC1737/19.


Source - chronicle