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Davison Mutakaya (36) yesterday appeared before regional magistrate Mr Rogers Kachambwa who remanded him in custody to January 21 this year.

In another case, the same businessman who also owns a finance company allegedly connived with two senior police officers and fraudulently sold vehicles, title deeds, laptops and various household properties worth over US$45 000 belonging to loan seekers.

He appeared in court again on Monday and was denied bail.
In the fuel case, Mutakaya is reportedly a director of a defunct shelf company called Petranas Zimbabwe.
His alleged accomplice Lemuel Marimo is a director of another company called Legitimate Designers.

Prosecutor Mrs Valery Ngoma alleges that sometime in July this year Mutakaya acting in common purpose with his accomplices hatched a plan to defraud prospective fuel buyers.
Pursuant to this, it is alleged, they advertised in the Financial Gazette that Mutakaya’s company was selling fuel at a low price.

This company was operating from Marimo’s offices at Zimta House.
In response to the advert, Minister Nguni called and spoke to Mutakaya who was calling himself Chirema.

Minister Nguni, the state alleges, placed an order for 10 000 litres at a cost of US$1,13 per litre.
The Minister requested the fuel to be delivered at his Service Station at Mubayira Growth Point.
The total cost of fuel was US$10 350 and payment was to be made through a bank transfer into Legitimate Designers Stanbic Bank account.

On July 13 the same year, Minister Nguni made a transfer of US$10 350 into the account that was the cost of the ordered petrol.
He furnished the alleged accomplices with a copy of the RTGS.
On July 14 at around 6pm only 2 900 litres were delivered at the Minister’s Service Station instead of 10 000.

Mutakaya, it is alleged, promised to deliver the balance the following day.
On July 15 the same year no fuel was delivered and Mutakaya became evasive.  
Minister Nguni allegedly discovered that he had been conned and demanded a refund but Maromo told him that they had withdrawn all the money.
He made a report that led to the arrest of Maromo and later Mutakaya.