School Head Accused of Boosting Stake in Family business Without Consent

The trial of a West Ridge Primary School headmaster and his wife, who both face fraud allegations over the unauthorized inflation of shares in a family business, has continued at the Harare Magistrates’ Court.

Thakorbhai Kanjee (73) and Jaya Kanjee (71) are appearing before Magistrate Artwell Sanyatwe on fraud charges. They are being represented by Paidamoyo Brian Saurombe.

Prosecutors allege that the duo illicitly boosted their stake in T and J Investments (Pvt) Ltd by allocating themselves additional shares without the knowledge or consent of a fellow director.

Under cross-examination by Saurombe concerning the board resolution forming the basis of the state’s case, the complainant, Neeshta Urmila Patel, stated that she neither attended the directors’ meeting in question nor signed the resolution executed by the accused parties.

She insisted that the pair implemented the changes notwithstanding the absence of her signature.

Furthermore, she refuted the accused persons” claims that all directors had signed, asserting that they had fabricated the statement because she had expressly disagreed with them over the matter in dispute.

Patel detailed how her uncle and aunt allegedly seized control of the family real estate business.

Having inherited her late father’s 20-share stake in 2015, Patel testified that the accused proposed an equal redistribution of shares in August 2024.

Although she refused to sign the resolution, she later discovered a filed Return of Allotments (CR 11) revealing the duo had allocated themselves 10 extra shares each.

After being blocked from checking company records at the Registrar’s office, Patel reported the matter to the police, resulting in their arrest last July.

The State alleges that on August 16, 2024, the pair submitted a forged resolution to the Registrar of Companies, purporting that it had been approved by all directors to alter the company’s shareholding structure.

Acting on this alleged misrepresentation, the Registrar processed the changes, resulting in each of the accused gaining 10 additional shares without Patel’s knowledge or consent.

It is the State’s case that these actions prejudiced the proper administration of the company.