A Harare magistrate has ordered Lobels (Private) Limited to pay US$14,000 in damages to former employee Hardlife Chauke, who was wrongfully accused and arrested for theft, reported NewsDay.
Magistrate Sharon Mashavira ruled that Lobels had maliciously prosecuted Chauke after he was falsely accused of stealing US$35,423.27 from the company.
Chauke’s troubles began in October 2022 when Lobels alleged he had collected money from customers and converted a significant amount for personal use, leading to his arrest and prosecution.
Lobels, represented by Nyasha Nyakurera, claimed that Chauke had collected US$35 423,27 from customers and banked US$2 184,00 before converting US$33 751,27 to his own use.
Chauke was acquitted on October 5, 2023, after the State failed to prove its case, having presented three witnesses.
Following his acquittal, Chauke sued Lobels for US$40,000 for damages related to malicious arrest, detention, and legal costs.
The case went to trial after the parties could not resolve the issue amicably. Chauke testified that Lobels had no reasonable grounds for the theft charges, which led to his arrest and damaged his reputation.
Chauke sought US$25,000 for general damages, US$10,000 for legal costs, and US$5,000 for loss of business due to the allegations.
The court awarded Chauke US$14,000, including US$10,000 for legal fees and US$4,000 for malicious prosecution, but dismissed his claim for US$5,000 due to lack of merit.
Lobels was also ordered to pay interest on the awarded amount from the date of summons issuance until full payment, along with ordinary court costs.
More: Pindula News