A Harare court recently found Takudzwa Munyawarara guilty of cheating Garwe Restaurant owner Mandy Mvukwe out of $48,000. Munyawarara, who runs Exclusive Projects Private Limited, promised to buy mobile toilets from China but never delivered them. Judge Munashe Chibanda handed down an 18-month prison term last week. The judge then reduced it by suspending six months for good behavior and another six if Munyawarara pays back the money by April 15. This left him with six months of actual jail time to serve.
The case started back in May when Mvukwe wanted to start renting portable toilets for events. She contacted Munyawarara because he claimed he could bring toilets from China at $300 each. They agreed he would handle everything - buying 160 toilets, paying import taxes, and shipping them to her. On June 25, Munyawarara came to her house and collected $48,000 cash. Prisca Chatyoka witnessed this exchange. He promised delivery by late July 2023.
After July passed with no toilets arriving, Mvukwe called him repeatedly. Munyawarara kept making excuses and eventually stopped answering her calls completely. During the trial, he fought the charges and denied ever promising to buy toilets from China. He claimed Mvukwe made up the story to hide some kind of illegal deal between them. Despite these claims, the court believed Mvukwe's version of events.
Prosecutor Tafara Chirambira presented the case against Munyawarara. The court rejected his defense and found him guilty after a full trial, even though he maintained his innocence throughout the proceedings. The verdict requires him to repay the entire $48,000 or face additional prison time on top of his current six-month sentence. His conviction stems from taking money for a specific business purpose and then using it for something else entirely.
The case started back in May when Mvukwe wanted to start renting portable toilets for events. She contacted Munyawarara because he claimed he could bring toilets from China at $300 each. They agreed he would handle everything - buying 160 toilets, paying import taxes, and shipping them to her. On June 25, Munyawarara came to her house and collected $48,000 cash. Prisca Chatyoka witnessed this exchange. He promised delivery by late July 2023.
After July passed with no toilets arriving, Mvukwe called him repeatedly. Munyawarara kept making excuses and eventually stopped answering her calls completely. During the trial, he fought the charges and denied ever promising to buy toilets from China. He claimed Mvukwe made up the story to hide some kind of illegal deal between them. Despite these claims, the court believed Mvukwe's version of events.
Prosecutor Tafara Chirambira presented the case against Munyawarara. The court rejected his defense and found him guilty after a full trial, even though he maintained his innocence throughout the proceedings. The verdict requires him to repay the entire $48,000 or face additional prison time on top of his current six-month sentence. His conviction stems from taking money for a specific business purpose and then using it for something else entirely.
