THE owner of one of the leading oil companies in Zimbabwe, Bell Petroleum, Daniel Guzha, has been dragged to court charged with fraud after he duped a fellow businesswoman of over US$90 000 in a botched fuel supply deal.
Guzha appeared before Harare magistrate Dennis Mangosi, who remanded him out of custody on US$500 bail.
He will be back in court in two weeks for his routine remand.
The complainant is Platinum Island (Pvt) Ltd represented by Tinashe Cheryl Mupingo, its director.
Mupingo is in the business of buying and selling bulk fuel.
Guzha was jointly charged with his company Bell Petroleum (Pvt) Ltd, a firm in the business of supplying bulk fuel.
The court heard that the two have a business relationship dating back to 2022 in which Mupingo was being supplied bulk fuel by Guzha regularly.
Mupingo would pay in advance and fuel would be delivered at later stages but within the agreed time frames.
“On 19 March 2024, the complainant needed 40 000 litres of diesel, contacted the accused person as usual who quoted her US$ 60 000 which she then paid through two transfers of US$10 000 on 19 March 2024, US$ 40 000 on 20 March 2024 and cash payment of US$ 10 000 given to Guzha and he signed for it,” said prosecutors.
The court heard the two transfers were made from Mupingo’s Stanbic account to Guzha’s account with the same bank.
After acknowledging receipt of the US$ 40 000 Guzha supplied only 20 000 litres and promised to supply the balance.
On 22 March 2024, Mupingo made another payment of US$ 57 000 into Guzha’s Ecobank account to bring the total balance at US$ 90 605.
“The accused then delivered 20 000 litres to reduce the balance to US$ 64 405.
“On 28 March 2024, the accused delivered another 40 000 litres and the balance was reduced to US$ 12 005.28,” read court papers.
It is alleged Guzha then advised Mupingo that he is able to reduce his prices to US$ 1.28 if she purchases 80 000 litres and above leading to the complainant to make a payment of US$ 140 000 meant for 120 000 litres inclusive of the balance of US$ 12 005.28 left on the previous purchase of 28 March 2024.
Guzha allegedly acknowledged receipt of the money and delivered 49 987 litres on 7 and 10 April 2024 and promised to deliver the balance 70 013 litres.
Mupingo followed up but Guzha became evasive giving several excuses.
The offence came to light when Mupingo was informed that she had not paid for the fuel she was now claiming yet she had all the proof of payments and delivery notes of the fuel she received.
This prompted Mupingo to conduct some preliminary investigations where she discovered that Guzha was in possession of forged delivery notes showing that she received the said fuel yet in actual she had not.
As a result of accused’s action, complainant suffered an actual prejudice of US$ 95 502 and nothing was recovered.
Source NewZimbabwe
