A construction company in Harare is facing accusations of defrauding Miniyothabo Francisca Baloyi Chiwenga, the wife of Zimbabwe’s Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, out of nearly $1 million. The company, Gray Homes Construction, along with its representatives Gray and Annavestah Mudiwa, appeared in court and were charged with three counts of fraud. The allegations stem from the company’s failure to complete several major construction projects after receiving substantial payments.
Colonel Miniyothabo Chiwenga, who serves in the Zimbabwe National Army, brought the matter to the Harare Magistrates Court. The prosecutor, Tafara Chirambira, detailed the case, describing how the construction firm allegedly deceived Chiwenga on multiple occasions by promising to complete construction projects that they were incapable of finishing.
According to the prosecution, the first incident occurred last year when Gray Homes Construction was hired to build a double-story house, a cottage, and a perimeter wall for Miniyothabo Chiwenga. The company assured her that the entire project would be completed within 90 days. Chiwenga trusted their commitment and paid the company $560,000 to begin the work. However, after receiving the payment, the couple allegedly used some of the funds for personal use, failing to deliver on the agreed-upon work. As a result, Chiwenga suffered a financial loss estimated at $389,100 due to the incomplete construction.
In a separate incident around the same time, the company reportedly misled Chiwenga again, this time about its ability to build a warehouse at Chivaraidze Farm in Goromonzi. Despite knowing they lacked the capacity to complete such a project, Gray and Annavestah Mudiwa convinced Chiwenga that they could handle the construction. Based on this misrepresentation, Chiwenga paid them an additional $550,000. Yet, once again, the company failed to fulfill its obligations and allegedly misused $390,000 of the funds. The project remained unfinished, causing further financial strain on Chiwenga.
The allegations continued with a third count, where the couple is accused of persuading Chiwenga to invest in a shopping mall construction at Silalatshani Business Center in Filabusi in September of last year. Believing in their assurances, Chiwenga handed over $158,000 for the project. However, similar to the previous projects, Gray Homes Construction allegedly diverted $151,000 of the funds meant for construction, leaving the mall project incomplete and Chiwenga facing significant financial losses once again.
The court was informed that in each of these instances, Gray Homes Construction not only failed to complete the projects but also did not return the money they had been paid. This pattern of behavior led to the allegations of fraud, as the prosecution argued that the couple knowingly misled Chiwenga into believing that they could deliver on the construction work.
The prosecutor, Tafara Chirambira, emphasized that the actions of Gray and Annavestah Mudiwa were not isolated incidents but part of a broader scheme to defraud Chiwenga. The company repeatedly made false promises about their ability to undertake and complete large-scale construction projects, securing large sums of money under false pretenses. Despite receiving substantial payments, the company did not follow through on their commitments, instead allegedly using the money for personal expenses and leaving the projects incomplete.
