Tonderai Saharo
Prominent Masvingo businessman, Naison Madyambwa aka Hiepeg who was convicted of romance fraud involving US$60 000 has been handed a three and half year jail term by Magistrate Elizabeth Hanzi.
Madyambwa who defrauded his Australian based ex lover, Achidaishe Mudzingwa was sentenced to three and a half years in prison.
However, Magistrate Hanzi issued a wholly suspended sentence, on condition Madyambwa restitute the defrauded amount.
Under the terms of the ruling, one year of the sentence was suspended on the condition that Madyambwa does not commit any similar fraudulent offenses for the next five years.
Additionally, two and a half years of the sentence were suspended, provided he repays the investor by October 5 of this year.
Should he fail to make the payment, the suspended sentence will be activated.
Madyambwa’s case has raised public interest as it highlights issues surrounding fraud in investment deals and the judicial handling of such cases.
The lengthy trial spanned over eight months and featured the testimony of Madyambwa’s sole witness, former police officer Blessing Imbayango.
During her testimony, Imbayango claimed that she had called Mudzingwa to her office for a counselling session regarding threats allegedly made by the investor towards Madyambwa’s family.
However, these claims were not substantiated during the trial, and Imbayango acknowledged that Mudzingwa had several business meetings with the convicted businessman.
Madyambwa, represented by attorney Charles Ndlovu of Ndlovu and Hwacha Legal Practitioners, has indicated plans to appeal both the conviction and sentence at the High Court.
