Vice President Constantino Chiwenga’s wife, Miniyothabo Francisca Baloyi-Chiwenga, has filed a lawsuit against a Harare couple, accusing them of defrauding her of almost US$1 million in construction funds.
The couple, Gray Mudiwa, 44, and his wife Annavester Mudiwa, 39, are the owners of Gray Homes, a construction company that Baloyi-Chiwenga hired to build a home, warehouse and a shopping mall in Filabusi.
Prosecutors allege that the couple, despite receiving substantial payments for the projects, abandoned them midway, leaving Baloyi-Chiwenga with significant financial losses.
The Mudiwas appeared before magistrate Donald Ndirowei on Thursday, facing three counts of fraud.
According to the State, the alleged scam began in March 2023 when the Mudiwas convinced Baloyi-Chiwenga that they could construct a double-storey house, a cottage and a boundary wall for her within 90 days.
Baloyi-Chiwenga, believing their promises, paid them US$560,000. However, the Mudiwas allegedly diverted the funds for their own use and failed to complete the project, causing a financial prejudice of US$389,100 to Baloyi-Chiwenga.
The alleged fraud continued in June 2023 when the Mudiwas persuaded Baloyi-Chiwenga to entrust them with another project – the construction of a warehouse at Chivaraidze Farm in Goromonzi.
Despite knowing they were incapable of completing the project, they received a payment of US$550,000 from Baloyi-Chiwenga. Once again, the Mudiwas allegedly diverted the funds, leaving the project unfinished and causing a financial loss of US$390,000 to Baloyi-Chiwenga.
The third count of fraud involves a shopping mall project at Silalatshani Business Centre in Filabusi. The Mudiwas, despite lacking the capacity to complete the project, convinced Baloyi-Chiwenga to pay them US$158,000.
They allegedly diverted US$151,000 of this amount for their own use, leaving the project unfinished and causing a further financial loss to Baloyi-Chiwenga.
The Mudiwas are being represented by veteran lawyer Professor Lovemore Madhuku.
