South African business magnate George Beukes who arrested on arrival in Zimbabwe last week has been barred from travelling out of the country, over a $1 million contractual dispute involving materials for the construction of the Harava Solar Park.
Located in Seke rural, the Harava Solar Park project was given national status by President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
Beukes of eXess Africa was bundled up and whisked away in a van, by police detectives when he touched down at the Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International Airport in Bulawayo on 3 August. He said:
Beukes is alleged to have defrauded Harava Solar Park, which is partly owned by Invest Solar Africa (58%), a holding company associated with businessmen George Manyere and Jayesh Shah with direct links to the president.
28% shares belong to Old Mutual while minority shareholdings are held by Ainos Ngadya and the Seke Community Trust.
It is alleged Beukes stole steel pipes, structures and fencing, which he insisted belonged to his company.
Beukes said he spent a night at a Bulawayo remand prison cells and thereafter driven 456km to Marondera, in Mashonaland East, where he spent another night. There, a case of fraud was opened.
He was driven 64km the following day, to Chitungwiza, where he appeared in court charged with fraud.
Beukes was granted ZWL$15 000 bail with stringent conditions. His passport was confiscated, and he is not allowed to leave Zimbabwe until final resolution of issues at stake.
