Source: False start to Waverly fraud case – The Standard
This was the second time Vico was in court after he appeared in January where he was ordered to submit his defence outline so that the trial could start on March 7.A Harare businessman, who is accused of snatching late industrialist Victor Cohen’s empire from his children, has pleaded with the courts to give him more time to prepare his defence in the fraud case.
Aron Vico is accused of fraudulently taking control of Waverley Plastics and is facing private prosecution from Cohen’s daugthers.
Vico, through his lawyer Admire Rubaya, made the request for more time when he appeared at the Harare magistrates court on Tuesday for the commencement of the trial.
He demanded to be furnished with more documents to prepare his defence outline.
This was the second time Vico was in court after he appeared in January where he was ordered to submit his defence outline so that the trial could start on March 7.
He will be back in court on April 20 for commencement of trial.
Cohen’s daughters, Amanda Berkowitz and Belynda Halfon sought private prosecution after accusing Vico of using his influence in the courts to scuttle a fair trial.
The National Prosecuting Authority had refused to prosecute Vico citing lack of evidence.
Berkowitz and Halfon are represented by Charles Warara and the case is being heard by magistrate Taurai Manuwere.
The two secured a certificate for private prosecution in November 2020.
In the history of the country, private prosecution was only done once in a case involving former Bikita legislator Munyaradzi Kereke.
The trial resulted in Kereke’s conviction on charges of raping a minor.
High Court judge Justice Maria Zumba-Dube in 2019 reserved judgment in the Waverley Plastics ownership dispute.
Cohen died in South Africa in 2017 while receiving treatment and left a vast business empire that includes Waverley Plastics, which, according to his daughters, was stolen from them by Vico.
In their submission, they said Vico, with the help of accounting firm AA Omar and one Maxwell Maheya, connived and manufactured documents which he used in the allotment of 400 shares in Waverley Plastics without a company resolution or knowledge of shareholders.
The late Harare tycoon’s children might have lost control of at least 13 companies after Vico allegedly forged their signatures on registration documents.
Cohen was also the founder of Cone Textiles, which was liquidated.
The sisters say a search at the Registrar of Companies revealed that 12 other companies namely Blankets for Africa, Waverley Plastics, Colourfast Textiles and Printers, SpunBond, Gallimard Fashions, Tatendarana, Centracom, Ram Inv, Ordin Trading, Saelate, Inverneil and Keepline Trading had changed ownership without their knowledge.
COMMENTS