Harare – Former central bank chief Gideon Gono has told the magistrate court he was prejudiced US$100 000 by a couple that he entrusted to run Valley Lodge.
Gono was testifying in a fraud case involving ZWL172 million defrauded from Valley Lodge, located in Mutare.
The couple, Clark and Beverly Makoni stand accused of defrauding Gono when they were running the lodge.
Gono claims he bought the lodge from Ayoob Omar in 2009 but is yet to complete the payment and the legal transfer.
Gono told the court that the Makonis whom he trusted to run the lodge stole equivalent of US$100 000.
”The prejudice is US$100 000,” he told the court.
”As a retiree I depend on this income.I live on Nassa pension and pension from other companies that I served,” Gono said.
”When fraud is committed against pensioners like myself the suffering is untold. It causes serious stress.”
Gono who once was a powerful man during the late former president Robert Mugabe was accused by the defence of using his influence and contacts in government to intimidate and threaten the Makonis.
He denied the allegations.
Clark and Beverly Makoni are represented by Admire Rubaya.
Harare magistrate Stanford Mambanje is presiding over the case.
The trial continues on July 11.