A fraud trial continued Friday against Clark and Beverly Makoni, who deny stealing from former Reserve Bank head Gideon Gono. The couple allegedly transferred Valley Lodge into their names and took ZW137 million, about US$70,000. They face charges before Regional Magistrate Stanford Mambanje. The state brought Lindiwe Sabeka as a witness, who said she worked as an internal auditor at Galwex. She claimed her company found the fraud during an audit.
Sabeka told the court that the Makonis paid themselves salaries against real estate law and sent money to their accounts. Defense lawyer Admire Rubaya questioned her professional credentials when she failed to show proof of her auditor status or fraud examiner membership. The lawyer said her testimony lacked credibility without proper identification. Sabeka claimed she saw company papers listing the Makonis as owners, but did not have copies. She admitted that many events had happened before she joined the firm.
The state claims that in July 2017, Valley Lodge hired the Makonis as property managers. The couple allegedly forged company forms in August 2017, naming themselves as directors. They reportedly used these fake documents at ZB Bank Mutare to change account signatories. The state accuses them of taking control of the company's bank accounts. They allegedly took funds totaling ZW$137,736,500.
Sabeka told the court that the Makonis paid themselves salaries against real estate law and sent money to their accounts. Defense lawyer Admire Rubaya questioned her professional credentials when she failed to show proof of her auditor status or fraud examiner membership. The lawyer said her testimony lacked credibility without proper identification. Sabeka claimed she saw company papers listing the Makonis as owners, but did not have copies. She admitted that many events had happened before she joined the firm.
The state claims that in July 2017, Valley Lodge hired the Makonis as property managers. The couple allegedly forged company forms in August 2017, naming themselves as directors. They reportedly used these fake documents at ZB Bank Mutare to change account signatories. The state accuses them of taking control of the company's bank accounts. They allegedly took funds totaling ZW$137,736,500.
