Bulawayo Miller Faces Court for Alleged US$40,000 Grain Fraud
A Bulawayo miller has appeared in court on charges of defrauding numerous grain dealers in Zimbabwe and Zambia of approximately US$40,000.
Michael Nqabayezwe Ndebele (34), a resident of Suburbs who also operates the Daily Harvest Milling Company in the Belmont industrial area, appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Mr. Maxwell Ncube. He faces six counts of fraud and one count of theft.
Ndebele was granted US$100 bail and remanded out of custody until March 28.
According to the prosecution led by Ms. Belinda Bure, Ndebele allegedly defrauded several grain dealers in Zimbabwe and Zambia of US$39,402 by promising to pay cash upon delivery for their grain.
The alleged fraud occurred on January 3, 2022, when Ndebele visited Best Choice Milling Company, owned by Mr. Panashe Prince Manase, and ordered 13.5 tonnes of mealie-meal and 7,640 kilograms of maize bran. Subsequently, the consignment was loaded onto Ndebele’s truck.
“Soon after the products were loaded into Ndebele’s truck, he drove off at a high speed without paying. The total value of the stolen consignment is US$4 427 and only US$800 was recovered,” she said.
According to Ms. Bure, on September 4 of the previous year, Ndebele placed an order for 22,300 kilograms of sugar beans from Mr. Andrew Musonza. He assured the complainant that he would settle the payment upon delivery of the consignment at his milling plant in Belmont.
Subsequently, Mr. Musonza delivered the consignment valued at US$5,760.
“After the complainant had offloaded the sugar beans, the accused person advised Mr Musonza that he was no longer interested in the product and he offered to sell the beans on his behalf,” said Ms Bure.
Later, Ndebele informed the complainant that the sugar beans had been purchased by SOS Children’s Home, alleging that he had not received payment from them.
This misrepresentation resulted in the complainant being deprived of US$5,760.
On January 10, Ndebele allegedly ordered 60 tonnes of maize bran from Mr. Tinotenda Ncube, proprietor of Loxmythpro, with the consignment valued at US$16,500.
Ms. Bure stated that Ndebele employed the same method to defraud Mr. Ncube. However, the accused only paid US$6,350, resulting in a prejudice of US$10,150 to the complainant.
Ms. Bure further explained that on February 6 at Bally Harve in Belmont, Ndebele deceived a Zambian businesswoman, Ms. Glorious Sooka, into delivering 33.53 tonnes of maize bran.
The maize bran was priced at US$8,727, but Ndebele only paid US$1,780, causing Ms. Sooka to suffer a loss of US$6,947.
According to court testimony, on February 7, Ndebele requested 30 tonnes of maize bran from Mr. James Chakamanga, who delivered 28,800 kilograms of maize bran valued at US$7,200.
Ndebele purportedly paid US$2,500, resulting in a loss of US$4,700 for Mr. Chakamanga.
On February 19, Ndebele placed an order for 48.3 tonnes of maize bran from Mr. Mutenje Tonderai Gwinvai, with the consignment valued at US$12,800.
