By Mwaka Ndawa
FORMER Chilanga member of parliament Keith Mukata’s ex-wife Maricho Roisin Hoare has denied stealing a motor vehicle belonging to the bakery which she jointly owned with her estranged husband.
Appearing before the Lusaka Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, Maricho 41, a business executive of Lusaka’s Chelston area, has also pleaded not guilty to charges of theft by director, forgery and uttering a false document.
It is alleged in the first count that Maricho on January 29, 2021 stole a Toyota Hiace registration number ALZ 8333, valued at K100,000 belonging to Windsor Premier Bakeries Limited.
In the second count, Maricho is on the same date accused of taking advantage of her position as director and shareholder in the company to steal the vehicle.
She is in the third count alleged to have forged a letter of sale on January 29, 2021 with intent to deceive or defraud, by purporting to show that it was genuinely issued by Webster Malunga when in fact not.
In the fourth count, the accused between the January,1 and 29 last year with intent to deceive or defraud, uttered a forged letter of sale dated October 18, 2019 to the Road Transport and Safety Agency purporting to show that it was genuinely issued by Webster Malunga when in fact not.
Appearing before magistrate Chrispin Hampungani, Maricho denied the charges leveled against her by Mukata.
Magistrate Hampungani adjourned the matter to next month for commencement of trial.