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Desmond Zhakata (36), director of Oakwood Fitting Solutions (Pvt Ltd), appeared in a Harare court on fraud charges.
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Alleged Crime: Defrauding an investor, Abraham Mubvumbi, of nearly US$30,000.
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The Pitch (Nov 2025): Zhakata approached Mubvumbi, claiming his company imported high-grade fitting boards from South Africa for resale in Zimbabwe but needed capital to meet customer demand.
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Proposed Deal: A verbal joint venture was agreed—Mubvumbi would invest funds to import 3–4 truckloads of boards during peak season (deal running until Jan 31, 2026), and receive US$6,000 profit per truckload sold.
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Payments Made: Mubvumbi transferred a total of US$29,960 via Remitly on Dec 5, 2025, and on several later dates.
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Follow-ups (Jan–July 2026): Mubvumbi repeatedly demanded either the return of his investment or the promised profits.
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Outcome: Zhakata allegedly failed to deliver any boards, paid no returns, and gave no satisfactory explanation for the funds.
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Court Status: Zhakata was remanded in custody pending bail determination; the State is represented by prosecutor Polite Chikiwa.
