Online Reporter
Prosper Dembedza
Herald Correspondent
A CHINESE national, Pei Renjian, who allegedly duped his fellow countryman of US$200 000 in a botched mining deal, has been granted US$500 bail.
As part of his bail conditions, he was ordered to continue residing at his given address and not to interfere with witnesses.
It is alleged that sometime between April 2025 and July 2025, Renjian acted in connivance with his accomplice Liu Jianlu, who is still at large, and misrepresented to the complainant that they had all the necessary mining permit documents to mine at Angwa River in Karoi.
It is alleged that on June 16 2025, the accused persons made the complainant make four payments of RMB 50 000, being part of a deposit through WeChat Chinese facility.
The complainant allegedly paid the money to Pei.
“On the same day, the complainant also paid US$40 000 cash to the accused persons at their place of residence, Number 22 Eddington Road, Greystone Park, Harare,” the State alleged.
“On June 17 2025, the complainant paid RMB 100 000. On June 18 2025, the complainant paid RMB 50 050, RMB 50 000 and RMB 4 004 through WeChat.
“On July 14 2025, the complainant paid RMB 150 000. On July 15 2025, he also paid RMB 50 000. On July 19 2025, he also paid RMB 13 806. All these monies were paid through WeChat.”
The court heard that the accused further made a misrepresentation that he had bought an excavator with the complainant’s money, yet he had hired it.
The complainant bought properties including a Toyota Hilux double cab valued at US$12 000, a heavy-duty generator, a 50-horsepower valued at US$60 000, a heavy-duty water pump and a separation machine both valued at US$50 000.
They also told the complainant that they had drilled a borehole and paid US$13 000.
According to court papers, the total sum of RMB 617 860 was equivalent to US$87 268,36 plus US$40 000 cash and property worth US$135 000 giving a total prejudice of US$262 268,36 and nothing was recovered.
Peter Tanyanyiwa