Latest News Editor's Choice


News / National

Nyaradzo Funeral sued for releasing funeral claim funds to wrong client

by Staff reporter
20 May 2021 at 01:33hrs | Views
CHIREDZIA well-known Chiredzi sugarcane farmer and war veteran, Boniface Mutemachani and Nyaradzo Funeral Services are in a nasty fight as the former claims the latter disbursed his reimbursement to the wrong person.

Mutemachani, who had sought the services of Nyaradzo when his wife died early this year, is claiming that the life assurance company owes him over $75 000.

Nyaradzo was allegedly supposed to pay $128 750 to Mutemachani but went on to pay $53 150, leaving a balance which they allegedly paid to a different customer.

Through his lawyer, Emmanuel Chibudu of the Kwirira and Magwaliba Law Chambers, Muterachani has filed a claim of $75 600 against Nyaradzo, a balance of the initial amount of $128 750 which he alleges was supposed to cover all the funeral processes.

According to the plaintiff's claim, he paid the money in three phases, $50 000 and $30 000 on January 16, 2021, and $48 750 on the 18th of the same month.

"On the 16th of January 2021, the plaintiff made a transfer of ZWL$50 000.00 to the defendant's account. On the same date, the plaintiff again made another transfer of ZWL$30 000.00 into the defendant's account.

"On the 18th of January 2021, the plaintiff again made a transfer of ZWL$48 750.00 into the defendant's account. These monies were being paid to the defendant by the plaintiff pursuant to funeral services for the plaintiff's wife and the defendant was to provide the services.

"The defendant then produced an invoice on the 19th of January showing that of the transferred money, a total of ZWL53 150.00was used leaving a balance of ZWL$75 600.00.  At that material time, neither the plaintiff nor his late wife had an account with the defendant for funeral services.

"The plaintiff made a formal demand of the balance on the 20th of April 2021. The defendant however refused or neglected to pay the plaintiff his balance despite the demand," read the claim.

Contacted for comment, Nyaradzo Funeral Services Public Relations Officer, Justin Muchazivepi said they are following due process in dealing with the matter and confirmed that they reimbursed the balance to the deceased's younger sister.

"The information we gathered so far is that the refund was paid to the claimant's younger wife's sister who was dealing with the funeral arrangements. His son who made the payment told our team that ‘mainini' was in charge and our team did everything in good faith. We are attending to the issue and we are very hopeful of an amicable resolution," said Muchazivepi.

Boniface Mutemachani (Jnr) who was responsible for the financial affairs refuted claims that he gave them an order to pay the amount to his younger sister's mom and argued that he was being consulted by the defendant whenever she takes an step but failed to alert him that they were about to reimburse the balance to his mother's sister.

"I was kept abreast of the process by Nyaradzo but unfortunately when it came to the refund, they left me out of the equation," said Boniface.

Source - tellzim