adminAnesu Chakabva—
A Harare woman lost more than $1 000 to two other women who masqueraded as commercial farmers selling 32 tonnes of maize.
Thandiwe Dube (42) and Deadury Doro appeared before Harare magistrate Mrs Blessing Murwisi-Nyemba facing charges of fraud and were remanded to February 14.
Their accomplices, Martin Gous and Patience Matoyi, are still at large.
The prosecutor Mr Levison Chikafu said sometime in September last year, Theresa Chigutsa’s husband met Martin Gous, who identified himself as a commercial farmer.
Gous then agreed with Chigutsa’s husband to deliver 32 tonnes of maize after receiving a deposit payment of $2 000.
After being advised by her husband, Chigutsa spoke to Gous over the phone and was told to deposit the money via EcoCash.
Chigutsa was only able to transfer $950 on the first day, and since the daily limit was $1 000, she was told to send the balance of $1 050 the following day.
Chigutsa was advised to wait for the truckload of maize near the Swift depot in Southerton, where she waited to no avail.
Chigutsa informed her husband, who told her to call Dube, whom Gous had identified as his secretary.
Dube identified herself as Emma and denied being Gous’ secretary, saying she was only his transport provider.
She said she would not provide the truck to carry Chigutsa’s maize because she had not received payment.
Chigutsa was then told to deposit $400 into Doro’s EcoCash account to hire the truck and was further advised to wait for the truck at Swift depot, Southerton.
She waited in vain for two hours.
Chigutsa called Matoyi after about 30 minutes and she told her that she had been ordered by Gous not to deliver the maize until the balance of $645 was paid.
Chigutsa offered to pay the balance in cash upon delivery of the maize, but Matoyi refused and insisted that she had to deposit $250 before the delivery. She then called Dube and Doro so that they could reverse the transaction.
The court heard that Dube said her company was at Biltrans in Mount Hampden, but when Chigutsa went to the alleged place, she was informed that none of the accused worked there.
Online Reporter