By Nyasha Chuma
Jairos Jiri Association trustees are seeking the imprisonment of a Harare woman, Lynette Muchaneta Shumba, for failing to respect a court judgement which ordered here to pay £134 977 and US$70 000 being money she stole from the association in 2019.
The humanitarian and developmental agency which aims to transform the lives of people with disabilities in Zimbabwe has beseeched the High Court to find the woman in contempt of court and jailed after wilful non-payment of a court order.
It was proven that Shumba stole £134 977 and US$70 000 judgement from Jairos Jiri Association back in 2019.
This was after she authored fraudulent letters requesting Jairos Jiri’s offshore investment administrator, FIM Capital Limited to deposit the money into her relatives’ bank account.
Shumba was ordered to pay the money by the High Court last year as compensation.
But after she failed to pay, trustees of the Geoffrey Jekyll Trusthave now approached the court seeking her imprisonment for failing to respect the judgement.
“You the defendant are called upon to pay the plaintiff the sum 134 977, 92 and US$70 000 together with interest thereon at the rate of five percent per annum calculated from the 28th June 2018 to the date of payment,” reads the summons for civil imprisonment.
“You are required to pay this amount by virtue of a judgement obtained against in the High Court on June 4, 2020, under which you were ordered to pay 134 977 and US$70 000 together with interest thereon at the rate of 12 percent per annum from June 28, 2018, to date of payment in full,” the summons add.
Shumba is accused of forging four letters in which she reportedly forged the signatures of Lainah Linda Banda and Peter Carnegie Lloyd, the two trustees with the sole responsibility of administering funds that they receive upon request from FIM Capital.
She then directed the United Kingdom Company to transfer the funds to a relative’s South African bank account while claiming that the relative has been appointed a trustee.
Shumba was charged with fraud back in 2019 when the offense came out.
Due to her actions, it is alleged that Jairos Jiri lost £134 977.92 and $70 000 and nothing was recovered.
The matter is yet to be heard.
