State guns for Mutare Fortuner lover
A MUTARE man accused of looting diamonds from the Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Company’s (ZCDC) minefield in Chiadzwa, is now under spotlight after suspiciously purchasing four Toyota Fortuner (SUV) vehicles, a Toyota Hilux double cab, five houses and a commercial property in the eastern border town in a short space of time.
Believe Ranguna (34) popularly known as “Billie” in Manicaland, has proved to be a “Toyota Fortuner lover”.
He is now under police investigation for allegedly stealing diamonds but the court has, in the interim, frozen his assets pending a forfeiture application by the prosecutor general.
He was also asked to explain how he acquired the properties, considering he has no history of being formally employed nor paying tax to Government on behalf of a legally recognised business entity.
The State believes the assets were purchased from proceeds of crime, hence they must be forfeited.
The properties frozen by the court are:
◆ Number 73 Chaminuka Greenside Mutare, otherwise known as stand number 5508 Mutare.
◆ Number 130 Rekai Tangwena Murare, otherwise known as stand number 3116 Mutare.
◆ Subdivision A of stand number 627
Mutare.
◆ A commercial stand, namely stand 8481
Chikanga Mutare valued at US$70 000.
◆ Stand Number 15 Bunting, Greenside
otherwise known as Stand 3231 Mutare
◆ Number 7 Arcadia Road Palmerstone known as 5123 Mutare valued at US$150 000.
◆ Stand number 15A 4th Street otherwise known as stand number 11385 Mutare valued at US$40 000.
◆ Toyota Fortuner 2.8 GD6 RB registration number “Billie3” registered on 11 April 2018.
◆ Toyota Fortuner registration number AEV
9703 registered on 10 August 2018.
◆ Toyota Fortuner registration number ADA
4077 registered on 18 October 2013.
◆ Toyota Fortuner registration number 002705L (which was seized and eventually forfeited to the State by the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority in Mutare).
◆ Toyota Hilux registration number ADL
9150 registered on 4 December 2014.
◆ Toyota Harrier registration number ABV
5629 registered on the 9th of March 2011.
◆ Toyota RunX registration number ACV 3703 registered on 18 February
2013. The National Prosecuting Authority’s Asset Forfeiture Unit, headed by chief law officer Mr Chris Mutangadura successfully sought the freezing of the assets, arguing that they were tainted.
“The respondent participated directly or indirectly in serious offences that include, money laundering and unlawful dealing in diamonds which give rise to a reasonable conclusion that his acquisition of wealth is unexplained and illicit.
“He has never been employed formally or informally to an extent that his known source of income as can be ascertained by investigative authorities of Zimbabwe remains a mystery as he has never declared any income in terms of the Income Tax Act proving that he in deed lawfully earned the wealth that he has thus the conclusion that his wealth which exceed US$100 000 far much exceed his known source of income,” reads the application.
Officer-in-Charge CID Homicide section in Harare Detective Chief Inspector Jachi investigated the manner in which the assets were acquired and concluded that chances were high that Ranguna could have illegally raised the money.
“On July 4, 2018, I was tasked to institute investigations on the suspected illegal activities of the respondent in Mutare. The suspicions were based on massive acquisition of property of considerable value by the respondent within a short space of time in the context of massive theft of diamonds at Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Company in Chiadzwa, Mutare.
“The respondent, aged 34 has never been employed by any company, or individual and does not operate any income generating enterprise unless if he can demonstrate such income which he must declare to the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority in terms of Income Tax obligations at law.
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