By Judith Nyuke
ZIMBABWE Mining Federation president Henrietta Rushwaya has appeared in court on allegations of fraud after she reportedly duped an investor of US$1 million.
Rushwaya appeared before Harare magistrate Stanford Mambanje who granted her US$500 bail.
The matter was rolled over to 10 May.
The State represented by Lancelot Mutsokoti alleges that on 2 April 2021 complainant Dr. Ashok Jain who is Chairman of NV Group of Companies located in New Delhi, India was introduced by Asif Adil to accused (Henrietta Beatrice Rushwaya) and indicated to him that she could assist him to get business opportunities in Zimbabwe majoring in distribution of liquor, establishing a distillery and setting up of an Ethanol plant.
Rushwaya hatched a plan to defraud complainant after realising that he had interest to invest in Zimbabwe.
She contacted complainant and demanded US$35,000 for her to initiate the setting up of business in Zimbabwe.
On 4 October 2021, complainant met accused in New Delhi, India where she was paid US$35 000 in cash as demanded.
It is further alleged that on a date unknown, but during the month of October 2021, accused invited complainant and his son Varun Jain to Zimbabwe on the pretext of business meeting.
During that visit, Rushwaya informed the complainant that she had a gold mine in Mashonaland Central which she could sale to him, when in actual fact she knew this was false and had no intention to sale the mine.
In pursuance of her plan the accused took complainant and his son to Umpfurudzi in Mashonaland Central and showed them the alleged mine which she claimed was rich in gold ore and was on a four hundred and twenty six hectares. She offered the mine to complainant for US$350 000-00 knowing very well that the Special grant which was issued to accused had expired on 2 May 2021.
On 26 December 2021, Rushwaya demanded payment for the first installment of US$175 000-00 for the purchase of the alleged Umpfurudzi gold mine from complainant.
On different dates between 10 January 2022 and May 2022, Rushwaya misrepresented to the complainant that she was preparing for mining to resume and she was paid various amounts of money totaling US$615 000-00 by the complainant, when in actual fact she was doing no such process.
On 12 May 2022, the accused demanded the second installment of US$175 000-00 for the purchase of the alleged Umpfurudzi gold mine and the money was deposited into a CBZ Account of which US$3 000-00 was transferred into Henrietta Rushwaya’s CBZ Harare, Zimbabwe account and the remainder US$172 000-00 was deposited into Relm Mining Syndicate Pvt. Ltd’s account.
In furtherment of her plan she then presented a fraudulent geologist’s survey report concluding that Umpfurudzi mine (the mine she had been receiving money purportedly for its sale) had no gold deposits as much as she had earlier misrepresented.
This she did to create an impression in the accused’s mind that for an additional amount she would be able to offer them a different mine in Shangani.
Through the continued misrepresentation by the accused the complainant was defrauded a total of US$1 000 000-00 in cash.
