The Sunday Mail
Freeman Razemba
A lawyer, an NMB Bank manager and one other person have been arrested on allegations of attempting to defraud a senior assistant commissioner of police of his Harare home after they forged documents to secure a US$350 000 loan using his title deeds.
The three allegedly connived to secure the loan through NMB Bank in August 2012, and one of them reportedly then even lent the senior cop about US$16 000 of that money.
Now defunct Builders Depot (Pvt) Limited director Macdonald Gutu, NMB Bank account relations manager Munyika Chitambo and lawyer Vanani Simon Nyangulu appeared before Harare magistrate Mr Tendai Mahwe yesterday facing fraud charges.
They were remanded to June 30, 2016 on US$300 bail each.
Their bail conditions include surrendering their passports, reporting to the Police Criminal Investigations Department (Serious Fraud Squad) once a week and not interfering with investigations/witnesses.
Prosecutor Mr Peter Kachere told the court that in March 2012, Gutu sought a loan from NMB’s Southerton branch and was advised to submit a US$300 000 mortgage bond.
Around that period, the senior assistant commissioner asked Gutu — his friend — for a US$20 000 loan and the cop gave him title deeds to his Strathaven house as surety.
In July 2012, Gutu allegedly took the title deeds to the bank and applied for a loan.
It is alleged that on July 9, 2012, Gutu and Chitambo connived to forge the policeman’s signature to pass a bond purporting Jackstone Investments (Pvt) Limited had appointed Nyangulu and Associates law firm as their legal representatives in the registration and passing of a mortgage bond for US$200 000 in favour of NMB Bank.
Jackstone Investments is jointly owned by the cop and his wife.
Chitambo allegedly issued the power of attorney, falsely witnessing that he had seen the senior assistant commissioner signing it.
On August 6, 2012, the mortgage bond was registered for an unlimited guarantee-ship by Nyangulu for NMB in Gutu’s favour, who then allegedly accessed a US$350 000 facility without the policeman’s consent.
The court heard Gutu then gave the officer US$16 000 cash and US$3 500 worth of building materials.
When Gutu failed to pay back the US$350 000, NMB approached the High Court with a civil claim on June 29, 2015.
It was at that point that the cop discovered Gutu had used his property to borrow US$350 000 and then lend him nearly US$20 000, it is alleged.
Builders Depot (Pvt) Ltd and Jackstone Investment (Pvt) Ltd are the respondents in the matter.
