A local online betting company, Bezbets, had its property attached for failing to pay a punter US$5 400.
Harare Civil Court magistrate, Mrs Sharon Mashavira, ordered the company to pay the money, after the firm was recently found guilty of defrauding a punter. Bezbets was fined US$500 for the offence by magistrate Mr Simon Kandiero in March this year. The punter then instituted civil proceedings to recover his US$5 400 winnings.
“Having perused documents filed of record, default judgment be and is hereby granted in default as follows; an order for payment of the sum of US$5 400, being damages for breach of contract, payable in local currency at the prevailing rate on date of payment,” ruled magistrate Mr Mashavira.
The Messenger of Court has since attached Bezbets’ property to settle the winnings. The attached property includes television sets, boardroom chairs, a printer and refrigerator, among others.
The company was also ordered to pay interest on the amount at the rate of 5 percent per annum, calculated from October 2023 to the date of full payment.
It was proved that on October 26 and on the Bezbets online platform, the punter placed a bet on the roulette, with a stake of US$394.
The platform gave him a potential win of US$5 400, provided the bet was won.
The punter duly won, but the company refused to pay and engaged him with a view to pay US$1 800.
