adminUnited States dollars through a common trick called the “black money scam”.
Fikiri Chibabira (27) and Biragi Banguda (26) duped Grace Mataka with bundles of black notes claiming they could be converted into original US dollars by a special chemical.
They reportedly asked Mataka to give them US$30 000, which they would mix with the black notes, for it to multiply.
Chibabira and Banguda denied the fraud charges filed against them when they recently appeared before a Harare Magistrate, Ms Sandra Mupindu.
The two, who are illegally migrants, were remanded in custody to November 8 for trial.
Prosecutor Mr Moffat Makuvatsine said on September 3 this year, the duo approached Mataka claiming that they could turn soiled money into genuine money.
They demanded US$30 000 from her on the pretext they wanted to mix it with the dirty “black” money so that they would get US$90 000 after cleaning it.
As a result of the misrepresentation, Mataka gave the suspects the money and they bundled it together with the dirty money.
The bundle was then dipped in cream powder, which was in a box, and after some minutes a similar bundle of only black money was taken out.
Mataka was then ordered to sit on the bundle for three hours while the duo mysteriously disappeared with the box containing Mataka’s money.
Mataka kept calling the pair who became evasive and she became suspicious and made a police report, which led to the arrest of the two.
In a related case, three other Congolese – Thierry Wasso Pierre (34), Claude Pele-Pele (31) and Freddy Kasong (31) – misrepresented to a local businessman, Tendaupenyu Mazvarirwei that they could multiply his money using magic.
He was asked to inject US$54 000 into the deal and the trio disappeared with the money.
Pierre, Pele-Pele and Kasong have pleaded not guilty to fraud charges.
They were remanded in custody for the presiding magistrate Mr Donald Ndirowei to rule on their bail application today.
Prosecutor Ms Rutendo Manhimanzi alleges that Mazvarirwei gave the trio US$3 300 on September 15 this year.
After five days, the trio reportedly returned with US$9 900 and told Mazvarirwei it had multiplied.
He was allegedly given back the US$3 300 and they equally shared the difference of US$6 600.
The trio later ordered Mazvarirwei to give them US$54 000 saying they were going to perform the magic again.
He complied and the trio disappeared with the money.
Online Reporter