FORMER Croco Motors Parts Manager, Joseph Matinyarare, has been convicted of fraud after prosecution proved that he stole various car parts worth $107 484 633. Matinyarare was found guilty after a full trial during which he denied the allegations.
This comes a few months after the prosecutor general ordered forfeiture of his properties including houses on the belief that they were acquired using crime proceeds. He was jointly charged with Stephen Chafachaipa, who was the motor dealership’s Receiving Clerk at the time.
Prosecutors proved that during their tenure, their duties were to receive and manage a stock of motor spare parts on behalf of Croco Motors.
The court heard that between 2016 and 2020 the two stole various car parts and cover-up their shady deals by entering irregular adjustments into the company computer system to balance the company stocks.
However, on September 23 2020, an internal audit unearthed the irregular stock adjustments.
Matinyarare failed to produce a report and the complainant became more suspicious.
The complainant then interviewed the first accused who revealed that he had some of the missing property at his place of residence.
“A report was made to the police and searches were carried out at the first accused’s place of residence leading to the recovery of property. The complainant identified the recovered property using Croco Motors unique dealer codes and Croco motors stickers,” the court heard.
Another forensic investigation revealed that from 2016 until their arrest, Matinyarare and Chafachaipa had stolen car parts worth $107 484 633.
Matinyarare and Chafachaipa will return to court today 29 February for their pre-sentencing hearing.
Source NewZimbabwe
