Online Reporter
Prosper Dembedza
Herald Correspondent
One of the alleged victims of Shepherd Chibaya, who is accused of posing as a medical doctor and defrauding victims of more than US$100 000 through the collapsed Bevern Capital Ponzi scheme, has told the court how he allegedly took US$2 000 from him.
Chibaya allegedly targeted investors under the guise of helping them recover their money from the collapsed investment scheme.
Testifying in court, Mr Saimon Tawanda Mtandwa, said he initially met Chibaya at Parktown Hospital in Waterfalls, where the accused allegedly claimed to be working as a medical doctor.
Mr Mtandwa said he later paid US$2 000 to Chibaya at Parirenyatwa Hospital, where the accused claimed he was working on the day.
“On that very day we spoke and Chibaya said he would assist me to recover my US$30 000, I had no option but to believe him since he was putting on a white gown usually worn by doctors,” he said.
Mr Mtandwa said during their discussion Chibaya told him that he would need US$2000 to recover the money.
“After a week I met Chibaya at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals where I gave him US$2 000 cash and he promised me that I would get my money within one or two weeks,” said Mr Mtandwa.
Chibaya has been in custody since his extradition from the United Arab Emirates in August last year.
He even faked his death and 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 – Mrs Mary Chiweshe, Mr Stanley Joy Mashiri and Mr 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 Mrs 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.
Mrs 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 Mrs 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 Mrs 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 Mrs Chiweshe managed to pay US$3 200.
Mrs Chiweshe paid an additional US$27 000 for the purported release of her money until Chibaya became evasive.
Mr 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. Mr Francis Mapfumo presided over the matter and Ms Heather Muokoto appeared for the State.
