Tendai Ziso

Harare regional magistrate Marehwanazvo Gofa has granted former Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) advisor Munyaradzi Kereke  US$200 bail in a case where he is being accused of fraud involving US$400 000.

Kereke, who is being jointly charged with the former Chief Executive Officer of the Municipal Medical Aid Society (HHMAS) Everisto Rukasha have been remanded to 31 December 2023 pending trial.

Magistrate Gofa said the duo had ties to the courts jurisdiction when he was granting them bail. It is the court’s case that sometime in early 2014, Rukasha and Kereke agreed to enter into an agreement of sale whereby the latter would sell his immovable property, Fortress Hospital located at number 9653 Ruwa Township, Chipukutu, Sebastopol to HMMAS.

Kereke then appointed one Newton Madzika, the managing director of Health Body Images (Pvt) Ltd to conduct the transaction on his behalf.

On November 7, 2014, HMMAS met its obligation by paying the full purchase price of US$800 000 into Health Body Images’ bank account.

On March 18, 2022, Rukasha working in connivance with Kereke, allegedly hatched a plan to defraud HMMAS.

Pursuant to their plan, Kereke wrote to HMMAS misrepresenting that HMMAS still owed him US$400 000 from the purchase of the property,

Kereke then approached the HMMAS board threatening to repossess the property which was still in his name and made it clear to them that he was still in possession of the title deeds to the property.

Resultantly, HMMAS authorised payment towards the liquidation of the fraudulently-generated debt.