Zimbabwe: Late Former VP Mphoko Son Claims Top Lawyer Welshman Ncube Duped Him Over U.S.$1 Million in Choppies Share Deal, Police 'Reluctant' to Act

THE son of late former Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko has accused prominent lawyer and opposition figure Welshman Ncube of defrauding him over US$1 million in a share deal involving retail chain Choppies Enterprises.

Siqokoqela Mphoko has come out guns blazing accusing the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) of dragging its feet to arrest the top lawyer, who allegedly duped him back in 2019.

The complainant says the renowned legal practitioner and opposition activist, acting as his legal representative, misled him during share pay outs by Choppies Enterprises. The dispute centres on a transaction in which Mphoko claims he was misled about the terms and value of the pay off.

Siqokoqela vented his frustration through a post on X, stating that despite having lodged a police report, authorities were failing to decisively act on the docket opened against Ncube.

"It's sad that I reported @Welshman Ncube to @ZRP Zim and I was told by the investigating officer that my docket was called for and taken to Police HQ in Harare. Investigating officers say if no instruction comes from Harare Police HQ, they will not act," wrote Siqokoqela on X, before attaching his recorded statement (CR90/07/2020) given to police.

In the statement, Siqokoqela said he engaged Ncube as his legal representative following a fallout with other shareholders of Nanavac Investments trading as Choppies Zimbabwe.

"I was in agreement with Choppies Supermarket where l worked as company Executive Director/ Managing Director and Secretary having 25,5% shares in the entity," Siqokoqela said in the recorded police statement.

"During the year 2018, l had some legal disagreement with other shareholders of Choppies Supermarket. This led me pulling out of Choppies and as a result l claimed my shares which were to be sold.

"I then engaged accused person to represent me on claiming my 25,5% shares. My father and l then decided to exit Nanavac Investments and sell our shareholding to Choppies Enterprises. As our relationship with our partners had irrevocably broken down we then engaged the accused to represent us in the negotiations on the sale of our shares."

Complainant avers that he and his father's joint 51% shareholding in Nanavac Investments was reportedly worth US$2,9 million.

"My shares were later sold to the tune of US$1,350,000 to Choppies Enterprises based in Botswana and the company issued an official statement to its shareholders to that effect....the combined figure paid out for me and my father Phelekezela Mphoko who also had 25,5 % shares in the same company and the total was amounti