Matemera, 52, appeared before magistrate Vakai Chikwekwe who released him on $10,000 bail.
He was also ordered to provide acceptable surety worth $250,000 as part of his bail conditions before he was released on stringent reporting conditions.
It is the state’s case that Matemera externalised a total of $332 980 000 to Botswana, Zambia, Sierra Leone, Mozambique, Dubai and China.
The State alleges that in November 2011, Jinan Mining (Pvt) Ltd was formed through a joint venture agreement between Marange Resources (Pvt) Ltd and a Chinese company Anhui Foreign Economic Construction Company (AFECC).
Jinan (Pvt) Ltd mining’s core business was extraction of diamonds in Chiadzwa and Marange Resources’ contribution was to make available diamond mineral claims to the joint venture while AFECC’s task was to fund the mining operations.
The State alleges that on January 9, 2012, Jinan mining opened a BancABC transitory account at Mt Pleasant branch and the same account received $628 792 555, 02 from AFECC as investments funds in Zimbabwe up to December 2013.
According to State papers, Matemera had facilitated the opening of the transitory account unlawfully without Know Your Customer documentation.
The State further alleges that during the period extending April 11, 2013 to April 1, 2014 Matemera, working in cahoots with Bai Xiangqian, Qingde Jiang and Bei Bei Ma who are still at large, transferred the money from the Mt Pleasant BancABC into BancABC account.
This money was purportedly for investment in Botswana.
However extra- territorial investigations were later carried out.
Prosecutor Sebastian Mutizirwa told court that the investigations revealed that the money transferred to Botswana from the transitory account was never used in Botswana but was moved out to the other six countries – Zambia, Sierra Leone, Mozambique, Democratic Republic of Congo Dubai and China.
In China, a total amount of $290 519 600 was allegedly transferred into five different banks.
In Mozambique, a total amount of $2 500 000 was also allegedly deposited into two different accounts.
The same strategy was also allegedly used in DRC where a total amount of $11 259 714, 30 was deposited into different banks.
A total of $4 310 000 was also deposited in Zambia, $676 800 in Sierra Leone, $1 336 194m 20 in Dubai, $8 227 272 was transferred into the Mt Pleasant transitory account which has since been closed.
A further $2 500 000 was allegedly transferred into Jinani Mining BancABC account in Mutare while a million was transferred into SOGECOA Zimbabwe (Pvt) Ltd BancABC account in Mt Pleasant.
The State alleges the bank statement has since been obtained and is being perused.
According to the State, further evidence has revealed that Jinani Mining (Pvt) Ltd is not registered in Botswana, neither does it have any operations in that country.
The Botswana Bank Account was allegedly opened using Zimbabwean company documents and transfers were administered from BancABC Mt Pleasant branch by way of e-banking facility.
The case was remanded to June 15.
Post published in: Economy