Online Reporter
Prosper Dembedza
Herald Correspondent
THE trial of a man accused of posing as a doctor and swindling victims of the collapsed Bevern Capital Ponzi scheme out of more than US$100 000 under the guise of helping them recover their investments has commenced at the Harare Magistrates Court.
Shepherd Chibaya has been in custody since his extradition from the United Arab Emirates in August last year.
The presiding magistrate, Mr Francis Mapfumo, deferred the matter to June 17 for trial continuation.
Chibaya, who masqueraded as a doctor and even faked his death, was issued a warrant of arrest in March last year after he defaulted on court and was arrested in Abu Dhabi.
Chibaya allegedly defrauded three people – Mary Norah Chiweshe, Stanley Joy Mashiri and Saimon Tawanda Mtandwa— of more than US$105 000 in the aftermath of the 2021 Bevern Capital Ponzi scheme.
In that scam, scores of people were lured into depositing money with promises of a 50 percent return within six weeks.
When the scheme collapsed, victims were desperate to recover their savings. Chibaya exploited the situation by pretending to be a fellow victim and even positioning himself as the leader of a victims’ group.
He allegedly formed a group in which he pretended to help the victims recover their money and was subsequently selected as the chairperson.
The court heard that in 2020, Chibaya approached Chiweshe and misrepresented to her that he could assist her in recovering her money.
He made her believe that from all her invested money, a total of US$200 000 was available, but he needed US$58 000 to be paid to ZIMRA, which was refundable, and she would get all her money.
Chiweshe raised the money and gave it to Chibaya, believing that she was dealing with a professional person.
After a few days, Chibaya went on to misrepresent to Chiweshe that the money had been released by ZIMRA, but he was intercepted by police detectives who wanted US$13 000 to release the money.
She handed the cash to Chibaya, who promised her to bring all her money that same day. While Chiweshe was waiting for her money, Chibaya lied to her that he had been arrested by a certain police officer for failing to pay his debt of US$1 800.
Chibaya allegedly used another WhatsApp account and purported as if he was the police officer who had arrested him and wanted his money to release him.
He directed Chiweshe to give the money to a taxi driver, Innocent Kavhura. Kavhura was given US$1 780.
Chibaya demanded a further US$3 200, which was allegedly supposed to be paid to a lawyer for his release, and Chiweshe managed to pay US$3 200.
Chiweshe paid an additional US$27 000 for the purported release of her money until Chibaya became evasive.
Mashiri paid US$850 towards the recovery of his US$3 200, but Chibaya became evasive after receiving the money.
Mutandwa allegedly paid US$2 000 towards the recovery of his US$30 000.
Ms Heather Muokoto appeared for the State.
