The property of the late Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Development Joel Piggy Matiza has been on fire, as it emerged this week that a business partner is refusing to pay US$2 million following a construction deal.
Matiza, who held several ministerial positions, died on January 22, 2021 at St Annes Hospital in Harare after battling Covid-19.
He was declared a national hero and was buried at National Heroes Acre in Harare.
He was also a world-famous architect, with extensive construction work all over the world.
His wife, Lillian, died two years later.
However, Commerce Veritas (Pvt) Limited CEO Martin Mutinda, whose company specializes in civil engineering, appeared in court accused of defrauding Lilian of US$2 million.
The complainant in this case is the late couple’s son, Patsiray (26 years old), who was appointed guardian of his mother’s estate after her death.
Mutinda (55), from Hyde Park in Harare, was remanded in custody until Monday due to a bail application made by Harare Regional Magistrate Donald Nderwe.
Investigating officer, Ngondzashi Chimoto, who appeared in court to assist the prosecution in opposing Mutinda’s bail application, said the accused had permanent residency in South Africa.
“The police have been searching for the accused since March, and we were told that he is in South Africa, where he owns another house,” Chimoto said.
He said the accused was arrested on April 30 at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport during his arrival in Zimbabwe.
“The police officers who arrested him at the airport told us that he was arrested while arriving from South Africa. “We did not know that the accused was in Zimbabwe until investigations were conducted before he appeared in court,” he said.
“He is also likely to tamper with evidence because he is the company secretary and therefore the sole custodian of all papers and bank accounts.”
Prosecutor Mercy Masamvi told the court that sometime in June 2022, the accused entered into a construction business partnership with Lillian.
In the agreement, the accused person was stated to have mistakenly told Lillian that herself, Jorum Leroy and Toray Negonde, would become directors of the company, with the accused being appointed as company secretary.
Mutinda allegedly told Lillian that she would receive US$2 million upon completion of the construction project.
The state revealed this in exchange for the accused Lillian’s offer She will inject road equipment which is pneumatic roller, paver, roller and office furniture which she took from her company called Studio Arts (Pvt) Limited.
The court heard Lilian had duly supplied the equipment as part of the deal.
On November 25 last year, Lilian died, leading to his son, Patsiray, being appointed executor of his late mother’s estate.
It is also alleged that in December 2023, Patsiray contacted Mutinda and asked him to transfer money owed to his late mother, Lillian, to the Biggie Joel Trust, where the complainant and other relatives would benefit, but the accused refused.
Investigations revealed that the accused misrepresented the company’s structure and paid an amount of 2 million US dollars. Newsday
