The case involving thirty-five motorbikes, valued at US$87,500, which were confiscated by the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) Criminal Investigations Department (CID), has taken a new twist after the complainant claimed that the matter is still pending at the Harare Magistrates Court.
This is contrary to reports that the matter was finalised and the motorbikes disappeared from police custody.
The complainant in this case is Matabeleland Engineering (Pvt) Limited, a company that manufactures and services gold mining equipment for both small and large-scale miners, and also offers panel beating and spray painting services.
The accused in the matter is former Director of Matabeleland Engineering (Pvt) Limited, Tony Sarpo, who was responsible for the company’s administrative and financial affairs.
Sarpo was charged with theft of trust property.An extract from the Harare Magistrate’s Court, dated 7 September 2023, states that the case CRB 4035/17 is still pending.
The motorbikes in question were seized by the CID Harare Commercial Crimes Division. Instead of being kept in a police station, they were stored at a Yagden warehouse in Chiredzi.
This was made possible after the company’s former Loss Control manager, Solomon Mateta, signed an indemnity form.
Sometime in 2018, Sarpo took the case to the High Court under case number HC 8560/18, applying for an interim interdict to bar magistrate Magistrate R. Charumbira, who was presiding over the matter at the Harare Magistrates Court, and the State from proceeding with the criminal trial in case number CRB 4035/17.
However, the matter is also still pending after High Court Judge Honourable Musakwa ordered that Sarpo should provide a transcript of the ruling on the application for discharge.
“Can the applicant avail a transcript of the ruling on the application for discharge.”
Sarpo has not yet provided this transcript.It is the State’s case that Matabeleland Engineering decided to import 90 motorbikes from China, intending to sell them to sugarcane farmers in Chiredzi.
Sarpo, who was allegedly given US$150,000 by the company to import the motorbikes on its behalf, imported them in the name of one of his companies.
According to court papers, the offence came to light after Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) officials delivered customs clearance certificates for the motorbikes to Matabeleland Engineering premises.
Source iHarare
