Businessman Chimutashu flies into yet another fraud storm

By Thomas Chidamba

arare- CHARLATAN businessman Malvern Chimutashu has flew into yet another rent scam.

Chimutashu who claims to own EBA Insurance Pvt Ltd s embroiled in another rent arrears storm after defaulting to pay rentals at the premises he is leasing in Highlands.

It is alleged that Chimutashu has “failed, refused, and/or neglected to pay rental as per the agreement and is now in US$2 500 rent arrears”.

The owner of the property, Simbarashe Madzorera has dragged Chimutashu to court in a bid to force him to pay rent arrears and vacate his property.

It is alleged that Chimutashu, who is no stranger at the court for several fraudulent deals countless times, willfully defaulted paying rentals forcing Madzorera to seek legal recourse to recover his dues.

The case will be heard at the Harare Magistrate court (Civil) Tuesday, according to the eviction summons, in possession of this publication.

Madzorera wants Chimutashu to pay his dues and vacate the property.

“Sometime in January 2021, plaintiff (Madzorera) and the defendant (Chimutashu) entered into an oral lease agreement in terms of which plaintiff let to defendant a property (no. 11 Ridgeway North, Highlands, Harare), at a monthly rental of USD1000.00 (One thousand United States dollars).“Sometime in January 2021, defendant took occupation of the premises and has been in occupation since then. Despite demand, defendant has failed, refused, and/or neglected to pay rental as per the agreement.

As result of defendant’s breach, the arrear rentals have accrued to USD2500.00 (Two thousand five hundred United States dollars).

“Despite due notice, defendant has failed to rectify his breach of agreement or vacate the premises. Plaintiff duly cancelled the agreement on the 31st of March 2023 as a result of defendant’s breach of the oral agreement and a written consent, signed by defendant, to vacate the premises by the 31st March 2023,” reads part of the summons.

Chimutashu is not new to controversy having recently been dragged to court by prominent former banker, Lawrence Tamayi, after he willfully failed to pay rentals for a property he was leasing in Mt Pleasant amounting to more than US$10 000.

The Harare Magistrate court had to grant Tamayi a court order to execute attachment of Chimutashu’s property worth US$10 000 as security for rental arrears.

It was alleged that Chimutashu, through his company EBA Insurance, failed to pay rentals for almost a year forcing Tamayi to seek legal recourse to recover his dues.

It is also alleged that Chimutashu used the same modus operandi on several properties in upmarket suburbs where he lives large without paying rentals until he gets booted out or taken to court.

In another case, he is appearing before a Rotten Row magistrate to answer charges of fraud after allegedly duping a woman of US$28 000 in a botched car deal.

It is alleged that the woman wanted to purchase a vehicle and went to Chimutashu’s company, Capital Auctions, and gave him US$28 000 but he failed to deliver the vehicle.

He is being charged together with one Abel Bvocho.

Recently, Chimutashu was issued with a warrant of arrest after he defaulted appearing in court.

Police issued a public statement in the press and social media that they are failing to locate Chimutashu and were appealing to anyone with information on his whereabouts.

Chimutashu now seems to be a permanent guest at the courts having been dragged together with his accomplice, Bvocho, in 2020 after duping Leona Kiki Georgias of US$30 000 for a Mercedes Benz which had no proper documentation.

It later emerged that he vehicle had been imported into Zimbabwe under a temporary permit.In 2017, Chimutashu was dragged to the courts on allegations of intimidating a key witness in former Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology deputy minister Godfrey Gandawa’s criminal abuse of office case. Chimutashu was recorded coaxing the complainant to withdraw the matter.

There are several other cases involving fraud which have been brought to the courts involving Chimutashu.

The flamboyant businessman is man about town and drives luxurious vehicles and scooping ‘trophy women’