Tonderai Saharo
Masvingo City-Romance fraud accused businessman Naison Madyambwa’s bid for freedom flopped after a Masvingo Magistrate refused to remove him from remand.
Madyambwa is accused of a romance scam involving US$60 000 which he allegedly milked from his lover cum investor in a botched mining deal.
Madyambwa who runs Hiepeg Tyre services in Masvingo, through his lawyer Charles Ndlovu of Ndlovu and Hwacha law firm had applied to be placed off remand citing delays in concluding the trial.
The matter has been postponed for the fifth time as the trial Magistrate Elizabeth Hanzi who presided over the case is currently on sick leave.
Madyambwa is facing jail time for defrauding an Australian based female investor Achidaishe Mudzingwa of US$60 000 in a gold mining claim deal last year.
The trial magistrate Hanzi had been on leave since July, she was expected to hand down the judgment on the fraud case last month but her absence has delayed the ruling prompting the businessman to apply to be placed off remand pending the return of the Magistrate.
“When we attended our last court session the state assured us that the judgment will be ready but now they are postponing the matter to another date.
“The state will suffer no prejudice if they place my client off remand and allow the matter to proceed by way of summons when the trial magistrate returns to duty,
“My client is a reputable businessman who runs businesses in Masvingo and he will not abscond” Ndlovu argued.
However, Magistrate Nomagugu Sibanda dismissed the plea and said the businessman faces a serious offence and it won’t be prudent for the court to place him off the hook.
He was further remanded out of custody to 6 September.
