State closes case against Harare couple
The State has closed its case against a Harare couple, Clark Makoni and his wife Beverly Aisha Makoni, who are facing allegations of defrauding former Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Governor, Gideon Gono. The prosecution led its final witness, Eric Chacha from the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC), who investigated the case.
According to the State, Gono engaged the services of the Makonis in July 2017 to manage his businesses, including Valley Lodge. Prosecutors allege the couple forged a CR14 company registration form for Valley Lodge (Pvt) Ltd, fraudulently appointing Clark Makoni as a director and company secretary while Beverly Makoni was also appointed as a director. The State further claims the pair illegally changed signatories on Valley Lodge's ZB Bank account, using the changes to siphon funds from the business.
During cross-examination, Chacha was asked to clarify who the original signatories on the bank account were before the alleged fraudulent changes. He testified that the original signatories were Gideon Gono and a person identified only as Omar. He was also questioned on whether the investigation had established if the Makonis had received money from Valley Lodge directly into their personal bank accounts. Chacha admitted that his investigation found funds had been transferred to Ark Properties but did not link the couple's personal accounts directly to the alleged siphoned funds.
The Makonis, through their lawyer Admire Rubaya, have dismissed the allegations as malicious and claimed they are part of a smear campaign intended to tarnish their reputations. They maintain that the charges are baseless and politically motivated. The defence also raised concerns about the handling of the case, noting that the alleged offence occurred in Mutare but the investigation was curiously assigned to a Harare-based investigator.
Rubaya advised the court that the defence will file its application on July 22, with the State expected to respond by July 24. Regional Magistrate Stanford Mambanje indicated that he will deliver a ruling on the matter on July 28.
The case centres on claims that the couple manipulated company documents and banking arrangements to defraud Gono through Valley Lodge. However, the Makonis argue that the case lacks merit and was designed purely to damage their standing. The coming weeks will determine whether the court believes the State has established a prima facie case or whether the couple will walk free from the fraud allegations.
