Gono Accused of Extortion in Company Takeover Batt...

Gono Accused of Extortion in Company Takeover Battle

ZimNow Reporter

Former Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Governor Gideon Gono faces accusations of extortion and misusing his connections to orchestrate fraud charges against Harare couple Clark and Beverly Aisha Makoni, alleging they fraudulently took control of his company, Valley Lodge Private Limited, while the Makonis counter that Gono is attempting to extort US$50,000 and has repeatedly threatened them with arrest.

Gono was in court as a key witness against the Makonis whom he accused of fraudulently changing his company documents to elbow him out.

It is the state's case that in July 2017, Gono engaged the services of the accused persons to run Valley Lodge.

The State also alleges that the couple forged a CR14 form in which Clark Makoni appointed himself director and company secretary and Beverly as his deputy in Valley Lodge.

Gono testified that his children introduced him to the two individuals he subsequently hired. He described their alleged actions as a "betrayal," as he had treated them like his own children.

According to Gono, after the allegations surfaced, Clark Makoni initiated a meeting, offered an apology, and agreed to pay US$50,000 in compensation. However, this agreement never materialised because Beverly was absent and did not sign the documents. Clark, Gono stated, never returned to finalise the agreement.

The alleged agreement stated that "Gono was to instruct" his people to withdraw the cases when the agreement is signed.

The couple represented by Admire Rubaya denied the alleged admission saying they were being threatened with arrest by the police and the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) through the influence of Gono.

It emerged Clark was arrested twice by the police and ZACC over the same allegations and averred that Gono abuses his power to mistreat those close to him after using them.

The couple said he used the same approach on one Ralph Muzembe who was his best man at his wedding.

Muzembe was reportedly his right hand man whom he discarded after hiring the Makonis.

Gono told the court that the meetings were recorded on audio and video but they were, however , not presented in court.

He further made concessions before the court stating that he gave the couple authority to run the business and described Clark as the Managing director and Beverly Finance director" contrary to allegations that the two gave themselves the positions.

The matter will resume on July 11.