By Own Correspondent

Owen Chikonyora, a former finance manager at Spraytech Panel Beaters in Harare, is facing allegations of embezzling more than US$88,000 from his previous employer, Taicom Investments (Pvt) Ltd, trading as Sprayteck Panel Beaters.

Chikonyora, represented by lawyer Liveours Mundieta, has denied any wrongdoing, claiming that all disputed transactions were authorized by management.

According to prosecutors, between December 2023 and March 2025, Chikonyora transferred company funds 46 times into his personal Nedbank account and the account of his own company, Chilywen Investments (Pvt) Ltd, for purported services that had not been provided.

Authorities also allege he duplicated salary payments to himself—irregularities that came to light during an external audit by Topline Reign Solutions. During the ongoing trial, Chikonyora’s defence argued that the transactions were made with management's approval.

Mundieta stated that Chikonyora acted on the instructions of the company’s finance director, Raoul Savania, withdrawing funds and passing them to money changers, who then transferred the money to a South African supplier, Thiago Veloso of Ceramic Pro South Africa.

The defence further claimed that products were later brought into Zimbabwe through informal channels, with Nomore Phiri named as one of the individuals involved.

When questioned in court about the defence’s claims, Savania denied authorizing the transactions, asserting instead that the funds were intended for statutory payments such as NASA pension contributions and VAT. The case continues as the court weighs the conflicting accounts from both sides.