Zacc officer nails Gono stolen property couple

A Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) investigating officer has told a Harare magistrate how a couple allegedly forged company registration documents to illegally take control of a lodge owned by former Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe governor Gideon Gono.

Investigating officer Eric Chacha told Magistrate Stanford Mambanje on Friday that Clark and Beverly Makoni used a fraudulent CR14 form to change ownership details of Gono's Valley Lodge. The same forged document was presented to ZB Bank to open a bank account linked to the lodge.

Chacha explained that following Gono's report, he began investigations at the Registrar of Companies where he examined the CR14 form. The document originally showed Ayoob and Mohamed Omar as directors of the company owning Valley Lodge. Investigations revealed an agreement of sale where the Omars sold all their shares in the lodge to Gono.

However, the accused allegedly manipulated the CR14 form, removing Ayoob Omar from the document without consent, and fraudulently changing ownership details to assert control over Valley Lodge.

"The accused persons managed to change ownership of Valley Lodge through the fake CR14 form without the complainant's authority," Chacha said.

Further investigations at ZB Bank revealed that the accused submitted the forged CR14 to claim directorship and changed signatories on the lodge's bank account without Gono's knowledge in October 2023.

Chacha also revealed that the couple submitted a spoliation order at Mutare Police claiming ownership of Valley Lodge, which was false.

The accused also filed an affidavit at the High Court asserting they were the lodge's rightful owners.

Under cross-examination by the accused's lawyer, Admire Rubaya, Chacha stated that Clark Makoni signed a deed of settlement with Gono, effectively admitting involvement in the fraud. Chacha said such an admission indicated knowledge of the offence.

The prosecution alleges the Makonis orchestrated a sophisticated scheme beginning with forging the CR14 form, which appointed Clark Makoni as director and company secretary, with Beverly Makoni as his deputy.

They further misrepresented their status to the bank, falsely claiming to be new shareholders, and changed the signatories on Valley Lodge's accounts.

Through these fraudulent actions, the Makonis are accused of illicitly taking over Gono's company, accessing its bank accounts without authorization, and embezzling ZWL 172 million.

The case continues as investigations and court proceedings unfold.