On Friday, a judge decided Clark and Beverly Makoni must face an audit report as evidence. The couple is accused of stealing ZWL$137 million from Galwex Investments, a company Dr. Gideon Gono runs. Magistrate Stanford Mambanje rejected defense complaints about the report, saying it came from proper company procedures. He added that lawyers can question the report's accuracy later.
Prosecutor Heather Muwokoto then officially added the audit report to court records. The case will start again on March 28 for more legal steps. According to charges, the Makonis changed who owned Valley Lodge by putting their names on papers. They also took large amounts of money from the company's bank account without permission.
Earlier court meetings brought testimony from Lindiwe Sabeka, an internal auditor at Galwex. She has degrees in accounting plus special training in catching financial crimes. Sabeka knew both accused people as workers hired to manage Valley Lodge property. Her audit found many problems that led police to arrest the couple.
Admire Rubaya, the defense lawyer, fought against letting the audit report into court. He claimed nobody signed it right and no public auditor checked it. But other people backed up what prosecutors said. Tonderai Karumbidza from ZB Bank testified the couple changed CR14 documents and pretended they owned Valley Lodge in Mutare.
Lindsay Musukutwa from the Registrar of Companies office proved government records still show the Omar Family as legal directors. This goes against what the Makonis claimed. Ayoob Omar told the court he sold the property to Dr. Gono back in 2009. He said the Omars stayed listed as directors because some business matters with Galwex remained unfinished. Nobody had permission to change any ownership papers.
Prosecutor Heather Muwokoto then officially added the audit report to court records. The case will start again on March 28 for more legal steps. According to charges, the Makonis changed who owned Valley Lodge by putting their names on papers. They also took large amounts of money from the company's bank account without permission.
Earlier court meetings brought testimony from Lindiwe Sabeka, an internal auditor at Galwex. She has degrees in accounting plus special training in catching financial crimes. Sabeka knew both accused people as workers hired to manage Valley Lodge property. Her audit found many problems that led police to arrest the couple.
Admire Rubaya, the defense lawyer, fought against letting the audit report into court. He claimed nobody signed it right and no public auditor checked it. But other people backed up what prosecutors said. Tonderai Karumbidza from ZB Bank testified the couple changed CR14 documents and pretended they owned Valley Lodge in Mutare.
Lindsay Musukutwa from the Registrar of Companies office proved government records still show the Omar Family as legal directors. This goes against what the Makonis claimed. Ayoob Omar told the court he sold the property to Dr. Gono back in 2009. He said the Omars stayed listed as directors because some business matters with Galwex remained unfinished. Nobody had permission to change any ownership papers.
