Harare woman charged over US$35k Road House Cinema assets dispute
Harare woman charged over US$35k Road House Cinema assets dispute
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A 61-year-old Harare woman has appeared in court accused of unlawfully disposing of cinema equipment and other assets valued at US$34 980 following a separation and settlement agreement with her former business partner.
Robyn Mary Hutchings (61) appeared before Harare magistrate Jessie Kufa, jointly charged with theft of trust property together with Munyaradzi Taruvinga (30). The complainant is Chipo Joginah Ndudzo (51), the court heard.
Prosecutors said Ndudzo and Hutchings previously operated Road House Cinema at Sam Levy’s Village in Borrowdale. On April 23, 2026, they allegedly signed a separation and settlement agreement in which one party would buy out the other’s interest in the business.
The State alleges Ndudzo opted to buy Hutchings’ entire shareholding and interests for US$270 000. Under the agreement, Hutchings was expected to relinquish all rights and interests in the business and vacate the premises after full payment. The court heard Hutchings requested to remain at the premises until May 31, 2026, to meet obligations related to pre-booked events, and permission was granted.
As part of the transition, Ndudzo instituted an audit and valuation of the cinema assets conducted on April 29, 2026, by Golden Gate Valuers and Risk Assessors Private Limited, prosecutors said.
The State alleges that on May 29, Taruvinga, who was employed as the cinema manager and was aware of the buyout agreement, began removing some assets from the premises without Ndudzo’s knowledge or consent.
It is further alleged that on May 31, Hutchings instructed Taruvinga to remove more property from the cinema, but security personnel at Sam Levy’s Village intercepted a truck carrying the assets before it could leave.
During a handover process on June 1, conducted in the presence of Ndudzo’s lawyer Advocate Arthur Marara and Hutchings’ lawyer Kerry Stone, a significant number of assets were allegedly found to be missing, the court heard.
The missing items were reportedly raised with Hutchings’ legal representative, who had left before the exercise was completed. Prosecutors said Ndudzo later compiled an inventory of the missing property and reported the matter at Borrowdale Police Station on June 11. Investigations led to Hutchings’ arrest on June 17, while Taruvinga was later arrested in connection with the same case.
Hutchings, according to the State, implicated Taruvinga and claimed she only instructed him to remove what she believed to be her personal property while she was out of the country.
The matter remains before the courts.
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