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Herald Correspondent
The fraud trial involving a betting company, Bezbets, opened today with the complainant insisting that he was indeed defrauded of his money after winning a bet.
Bezbets is facing allegations of defrauding a client of US$5 200 he had won after playing a game.
The punter told Harare Magistrate Mr Simon Kandiero that Bezbets suddenly changed rules after noticing that he had won a bet.
“In order to terminate evidence, Bezbets went on to delete my account. They offered me US$1 800 and I refused to accept it since I had won US$5400,” he said.
The punter further told the court that in another bid to conceal the offence, Bezbets opened a counter charge of fraud against him which was declined prosecution during vetting.
“I have been placing bets of more than US$50 for close to two years and losing large sums of money but when I won a bet on October 26, 2023, Bezbets refused to pay me.
“There is nowhere on their roulette system where it is written that US$50 is the maximum stake per bet, their system allows you to play any amount up to US$10 000,” he said.
The punter also submitted that Bezbets verbally introduced to him the rule that US$50 is the maximum stake per bet upon realising that he had won.
The matter will continue next Monday with the investigating officer, Detective Muri on the witness stand
Bezbets is represented by its manager Robson Chinamasa.
Chinamasa pleaded not guilty on behalf of the company to fraud charges when he initially appeared before Mr Simon Kandiyero.
Prosecuting, Mr Thomas Chanakira alleged that on October 26, on the Bezbets online platform, the complainant placed a bet on the roulette with a stake of US$394. The platform gave him a potential win of US$5 400, provided the bet was won. But after winning, the company refused to pay him and engaged him with a view to pay him US$1 800.
Bezbets is being represented by Brighton Pabwe from Venturas and Samkange Legal practitioners.
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