Zimbabwe retailer takes supplier to court
March 26, 2018
Zimbabwean retail chain Edgars Stores has reportedly lost over $40,000 that it paid to a Harare-based company for a supply of printers.
The Chronicle reports that Nasraq Technologies received $43,000 from Edgars in 2016, but did not deliver the printers in return; it claimed the hardware was being sourced from a Korean company.
The company’s director, Sobusa Dube, then sent the retailer a copy of the purchase order asserting the printers had been bought.
In a magistrate’s court in Bulawayo, Dube pleaded not guilty to two charges of theft. Alfonce Makonese, of the prosecution, declared that Edgars chose Nasraq as its supplier on account of it having the lowest price.
“The complainant immediately issued Nasraq with a purchase order and Edgars was supposed to deposit half of the total price,” Makonese explained. “The remaining amount was to be paid after delivery.”
“On June 21, 2016, Edgars deposited $43,000.80 through Nasraq’s NMB account and the accused assured Edgars that they would deliver the good by July 30, the same year. On the following day, Dube sent a copy of a purchase order saying he had bought the printers from Bixolon Company Limited in Korea. A few days later, he sent a sample of the printers to Edgars and the complainant tested it and discovered that the power cords were not going to work in Zimbabwe, and gave Nasraq the right type of cords.”
According to testimonies heard in court, Nasraq repeatedly gave the retailer false promises on the supply of the goods, until the matter was eventually reported to the police. The trial continues.
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