Boy (17) in fraud storm

Yeukai Karengezeka

Court Correspondent

A 17-year-old boy from Zimre Park in Ruwa who defrauded 30 students of US$ 2 600 after making them believe that he could enrol them in a SADC Junior Parliament programme has appeared in court.

The accused (name withheld because he is a minor ) appeared before Harare magistrate Mrs Ethel Chichera charged with fraud on Saturday.

He was released into the custody of his mother and returns to court on September 5.

The State is alleging that sometime last month the boy held a meeting with a number of students at Queen Elizabeth High School in Harare.

He reportedly told the students that he was a member of the Zimbabwe Junior Parliament and had links with an organisation recruiting members from schools to be part of the Junior Motivators under SADC Parliament. He further asked the complainants to pay US$62 for registration and uniforms. The boy also asked the complainants to pay another US$50 for camping at Domboshava Resort.

The court heard that the complainants made various payments and were issued receipts in the name of Junior Motivators SADC Parliament. After receiving the money, the boy became evasive.

The complainants later discovered that they had been duped and reported the matter to police, leading to his arrest. The total amount stolen was US$2 640 and nothing was recovered.