A former Zimbabwe Revenue Authority accountant who is serving a six-year sentence for stealing over US$1 million from the taxman’s bank account has lost two mansions in Glen Lorne in Harare, a flat in Harare’s city centre and a top-of-the-range vehicle.
Tapuwa Evans Chidemo, who worked as an accounting officer in Zimra’s Value Added Tax (VAT) department, unbelievably amassed wealth worth millions of dollars within a short space of time despite having received a total of $76 279 during his period of employment stretching from 2010 to 2016.
In a judgment delivered today, Justice Benjamin Chikowero granted the Prosecutor-General an application for civil forfeiture order under the Money Laundering and Proceeds of Crime Act to confiscate Chidemo’s certain immovable property, a vehicle and shares in certain companies.
He ruled that the property was tainted and must be forfeited to the State.
Chidemo, was once charged with nine counts of fraud involving about US$1, 3 million but the court found him guilty of two counts involving US$460 538.
He was jailed six years for the two counts but the prosecution has since appealed Chidemo’s acquittal on the other seven counts of fraud involving US$778 547.
