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Mashudu Netsianda Senior Court Reporter
A HARARE businessman allegedly duped  his Zambian business partner of more than $50,000 in a botched maize supply deal involving more than 300 tonnes of grain, a court heard.Bulawayo magistrate Gladmore Mushove heard this when Douglas Masunda, 30, of Westlea suburb in the capital city appeared before her on Friday facing theft charges.

Masunda, a Ternium Enterprises Pvt Ltd co-director, denied that he sold the grain on behalf of his business associate, Chama Musonda, 42, of Lusaka, Zambia. He was remanded out of custody to November 28 for continuation of trial

Ternium Enterprises Pvt Ltd was incorporated in February 2012 with a Ghanaian, John Koffie who is still at large.

Prosecuting, Jeremiah Mutsindikwa said sometime in 2012 Musonda, through his company Embassy Commodities, supplied Masunda with 335 tonnes of maize grain to sell to millers in Bulawayo.

The court heard that the arrangement was that Masunda and his alleged accomplice, Koffie who is still at large, would sell the maize grain on behalf of his Zambian partner and thereafter remit the proceeds to him.

“Masunda and Koffie allegedly received grain from Musonda and sold it to their clients around Bulawayo and were paid $58, 797,” said Mutsindikwa.

After making several failed attempts to recover his money, Musonda finally met Masunda in Harare in August last year and he reported him to the police.

The stolen money was not recovered.