Jane Mutasa remains in custody for fraud

Businesswoman and Telecel board member Jane Mutasa and her personal assistant, who are accused of defrauding the mobile phone network provider of US$750 000 in an airtime scam, will remain in custody until tomorrow when the High Court is expected to hear their appeal for bail.

The company’s commercial director, Naquib Omar, who was still at large when the others appeared in court for initial remand last Saturday, was arrested on Tuesday and appeared in court yesterday.

He is facing a similar charge of fraud.

According to the State papers, Omar appears to be more instrumental than others in the commission of the offence.

Magistrate Mr Archie Wochiunga granted Omar US$1 500 bail and remanded him out of custody to March 18 when he will be joined by Mutasa, her assistant Caroline Gwinyai and the firm’s regional sales manager, Charles Mapurisa.

Prosecutor Mr Chris Mutangadura appeared for the State in Omar’s initial remand proceedings yesterday.

Mutasa and Gwinyai’s bail appeal hearing had been set for yesterday, but the court postponed it to tomorrow to allow the State to file its response.

Mutasa and Gwinyai were arrested last Friday and appeared before Harare magistrate Mr Don Ndirowei on Saturday for initial remand.

The duo had their initial bail application thrown out before Gwinyai’s separate application for refusal of remand was also declined.

On Monday, the duo’s lawyer Mr Jonathan Samkange of Venturas and Samkange, filed an appeal against the decision by the lower court refusing them bail.

Mapurisa is yet to file his fresh bail bid in the High Court.

His lawyer, Mr Ziwai Kamusasa, on Tuesday told The Herald that he was still to lodge a bail appeal on behalf of Mapurisa.

It is the State’s case that last year the then Telecel managing director, Mr Rex Chibesa, communicated to all staff members that they should stop selling airtime and lines using manual invoice books.

The State alleges the quartet, together with other workers, defied the directive and ordered airtime and lines using a manual invoice book on behalf of Mutasa’s firm Oxygon Investments.

The orders were not captured in the Telecel data system, for the purposes of swindling the company, it is alleged.

It is the State’s case that the goods were delivered to Oxygon Investments by a Telecel driver.

Gwinyai allegedly received the goods and kept them in Mutasa’s office.

The prosecution also claims several workers who were involved in the scam have since been turned into State witnesses and were assisting police with investigations.