Online Reporter
Arron Nyamayaro
A NUMBER of businesspeople, who run shops in downtown Harare which sell clothes imported from neighbouring countries, claim they have lost, at least, US$25,000 to two daring con women.
They claim the two—Fortunate Lambukeni and Millicent Mashongamhende— use different names and WhatsApp groups.
The businesspeople claim they have lost more than US$25,000 in the last three months and some of them have been forced to close their shops.
Millicent allegedly uses another name, Mirirai Chaurika, and claims she can secure blankets and baby wear from neighbouring countries. Fortunate is also known as Boss Lady Wholesalers and operates at the corner of Angwa Street and Robson Manyika Avenue and specialises in clothes and blankets.
One of their victims, Alex Kari, told H-Metro that he lost a total of US$17,000 in July when he was lured into paying for goods which they promised would be delivered within a week.
“I lost money to two ladies who operate as runners in the Central Business District.
“Fortunate duped me of US$9,000 and she introduced me to Millicent for other orders and she duped me of US$8,000.
“After confronting them over the failure to deliver the goods, which I paid for, they started to run away and block my calls.
“I insisted and they took me to a person they introduced as their lawyer and that person started also being evasive.”
Contacted for comment, Fortunate refused to entertain H-Metro while Millicent could not be reached for her side of the story.
Blessing Chizhande