The potential investor, Marius Bester, entered into a deal with a bogus miner identified as Symptoms Siwawa. Part of the deal was that Siwawa would supply him with 270 tonnes of chrome before full partnership in that business. Siwawa lives in the Valley Resettlement Area in Shurugwi and owns Spilsat Mining Company.
According to court papers, Siwawa met Bester with his business partner, Preston Maporisa, at a local lodge in Gweru on February 15 where the trio reportedly agreed to enter into a chrome deal. The deal stated that Siwawa would supply Bester with 1,000 tonnes of 43 percent chrome ore at a price of $100 per tonne.
Bester, who is also the managing director of a South African company, Double Stars Trading, visited the accused person’s mine sites in Shurugwi where he collected samples of chrome to be tested of their grade at the University of Zimbabwe.
On February 17, Bester returned to South Africa and instructed his partner, Maporisa, to finalise the contract with the Minerals Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe.
After the two had received a contract from MMCZ, Bester transferred $40,000 into Siwawa’s account on March 23 for the chrome which was supposed to be transported to South Africa within 10 days.
However, Siwawa failed to meet his side of the agreement, forcing Bester to report the case on April 18.
Siwawa is denying the charge, arguing that Bester failed to collect his chrome in time before the government effected a ban on the export of chrome ore. The matter is expected to be heard in court soon.
Post published in: News