Vusumuzi Dube
Clementine Phulu, Sunday News Reporter
POLICE in Bulawayo have arrested a 32-year-old man in connection with a case of fraud after he allegedly got away with US$3 550 claiming he was selling storage containers.
The accused person has been identified as Fernades Ziyaad Alvara.
According to the police, on 29 November 2022 at around 10 am, the complainant, a female adult aged 51 years of Chinhoyi saw an advertisement on a Facebook page where Alvara was purporting to be selling storage containers and she then contacted him. she was given the quotation of a 20-foot container which cost US$3 550. the complainant wanted the container to be transported to Binga.
The two met in Bulawayo’s Central Business District and a deposit of US$2 000 was paid and then later the balance of US$1 550 was also paid and the accused person promised to deliver the container.
On 27 December the accused person called the complainant informing her that he was failing to locate the complainant’s property in Binga. He was then given the option to return back the money but he promised to send the truck back to Binga to make the delivery but failed to do so.
A police report was made, with the police then using intelligence and posing as potential clients to lure the accused person leading to his arrest.
Investigations revealed that he was wanted by Hillside police for two more crimes that he committed before which are theft of trust property and making off without payment.
Bulawayo provincial police spokesperson Inspector Abednico Ncube confirmed the incident.
“We urge members of the public to be cautious when dealing with online transactions as they risk losing large sums of money,” said Ncube.
derick.khumalo