Legal row over millions being made at firm sourcing staff for HSE

Irish Independent

5 hours ago

Dr Judith Kundodyiwa, who owns a stake in Ireland-based Minana International, which trades as GoodPeople, has made 'very serious allegations' in Ireland of breach of duty against Minana's co-owner and managing director, Gerard Chimbganda, the UK's High Court has been told.
The former friends set up Minana International in 2017 alongside Mr Chimbganda's wife, who also acts as the firm's finance director. She is also Dr Kundodyiwa's cousin. All three hail from Zimbabwe. Mr Chimbganda moved to Ireland in 2001.
The allegations made in Ireland include that Mr Chimbganda has purported to take over 95pc of the shares in Minana International. Dr Kundodyiwa claims to own 50pc of the Irish firm.
Company filings in Ireland claim that a company owned by Mr Chimbganda and his wife owns 95pc of Minana and that Dr Kundodyiwa owns 5pc.
Dr Kundodyiwa has also claimed in Ireland that Mr Chimbganda at one stage paid himself €500,000, characterised as a dividend.
When challenged about this, the UK's High Court has also heard, it is alleged that Mr Chimbganda promised that an equal dividend would be provided for Dr Kundodyiwa the following year. She says this was not forthcoming.
Proceedings were issued in Ireland against Minana International in January this year.
The latest set of publicly-available accounts for Minana International show that it made a near €1.3m profit in 2023 and had retained earnings of almost €2.9m at the time.
In December last year, Mr Chimbganda launched an action in the UK against Dr Kundodyiwa and UK-based firm GoodPeople Healthcare Limited.
Mr Chimbganda and Dr Kundodyiwa are equal and joint owners of the British firm, which provides domiciliary care services to local authorities, particularly through the use of migrant care workers.
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Mr Chimbganda claims that Dr Kundodyiwa – a consultant gynaecologist with the NHS in the UK – has been in breach of her duties to GoodPeople Healthcare. Both are directors of the firm.
He alleges in the UK action that she has mismanaged the firm's finances and incurred expenditure for the benefit of herself, her family and others.
He also claims that she has diverted business opportunities to a company owned by her sister.
Dr Kundodyiwa has denied the allegations.
Specifically, the allegations by Mr Chimbganda include that of more than £1m (€1.17m) paid into the accounts of GoodPeople Healthcare Limited, Dr Kundodyiwa failed to account for about £500,000 of this.
He also alleges that there have been inconsistent explanations given in relation to tens of thousands of pounds of other expenditure and that payments have not been properly accounted for.
Dr Kundodyiwa has rejected claims including those about inconsistencies and vagueness, noting that she has done her best in relation to the records currently available.
She also claims that the action in the UK against her is in retaliation for the allegations made in Ireland against Mr Chimbganda.
However, the action in Ireland was launched after the legal action in the UK.