Upenyu Mashangwa

Education

He learnt at Hartzell High School where he got the nickname Ocean after Ocean Sommers of the 1993 TV mini-series Trade Winds.The nickname is where the name Oceane was derived from.^[2]

Business Career

He co-founded Oceane Perfumes in 2005 after he pushed his then wife Blessing towards building their own brand.^[1] Mashangwa also owns Carmeco Investments Pvt Ltd. ^[3]

Emmanuel Makandiwa Lawsuit

In August 2017, Blessing and Upenyu Mashangwa sued Makandiwa and his wife for US$6,5million over alleged false prophecies. However, Makandiwa sought an exception, arguing that matters of faith could not be handled by a secular court and the High Court Dismissed Makandiwa’s Application and said He Must Answer For “False Prophecies”

The Supreme Court reserved judgement in the case.^[4]

Controversies

Botched Stands Deal

Upenyu Mashangwe and his then wife Blessing were taken to court by Jemina Gumbo in 2015 over a botched stands deal. Gumbo who is the Founder and Trustee of Nemaji Family Trust took the couple to the High Court seeking to recover $800 000 she had paid in a botched stand deal.

Gumbo was demanding refund plus interest for the stand in Marlborough, measuring 7 581 square metres from the couple. The matter was brought before Happias Zhou in May 2015 in a bid to thrash an out-of-court settlement, but the parties could not find common ground.

Gumbo claimed that after signing an agreement of sale, she paid $800 000 to Upenyu and Blessing Mashangwa’s account with Macdowells International Properties Investments (Pvt) Ltd.

At the time, Macdowells operated business as a micro-finance and investment company.

The company was closed by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe and placed under judicial management. The Mushangwas acknowledged receipt of the money. However, in February 2013, the couple cancelled the agreement of sale, saying they had not received the purchase price from Macdowells, which had been shut down.

Gumbo further claimed that she confronted the couple for cancelling the agreement and both parties agreed to terms on how the former magistrate would be refunded her money.

After the couple obtained the judgment for the payment of more than $1,6 million from Macdowells, it stopped communicating with Ms Gumbo, reneging on the promise to honour its obligation.^[3]

References