A Harare businessman faced court today as his trial began for allegedly using his client's US$125,000 for himself. The accused, Vhurumu Mutero, completely denied stealing any trust property during the first day of legal proceedings. He flipped the story around, claiming the person who reported him just wants revenge because Mutero previously sued that same person for US$80,000.
Mutero firmly believes the situation is backward—he claims the accuser actually owes him money. Court documents revealed that from February through July last year, the accuser handed Mutero US$125,000 to buy several items. These purchases should have included a Toyota single-cab truck plus various furniture pieces for both home and office use.
The money was meant to cover four double-door refrigerators, four big 65-inch TV sets, a washing machine, and four leather sofa sets. The list continued with three dining room sets, four deep freezers, seven different bed sets, furniture for an office, chairs for outdoors, three tables, and eleven room dividers. All these goods totaled exactly US$125,000 in value.
The accuser lost every penny of that US$125,000 investment. Court reports indicated nothing from this substantial purchase ever made it back to the person who paid the money. The case continues as both sides present their evidence about what really happened to all those funds and why nothing ever arrived as promised.
Mutero firmly believes the situation is backward—he claims the accuser actually owes him money. Court documents revealed that from February through July last year, the accuser handed Mutero US$125,000 to buy several items. These purchases should have included a Toyota single-cab truck plus various furniture pieces for both home and office use.
The money was meant to cover four double-door refrigerators, four big 65-inch TV sets, a washing machine, and four leather sofa sets. The list continued with three dining room sets, four deep freezers, seven different bed sets, furniture for an office, chairs for outdoors, three tables, and eleven room dividers. All these goods totaled exactly US$125,000 in value.
The accuser lost every penny of that US$125,000 investment. Court reports indicated nothing from this substantial purchase ever made it back to the person who paid the money. The case continues as both sides present their evidence about what really happened to all those funds and why nothing ever arrived as promised.
