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Yeukai Karengezeka Court Correspondent
A Chinese based in South Africa yesterday appeared before a Harare magistrate for allegedly defrauding Sunny Yi Feng Tiles Company of R2,7 million by buying tiles using fake proofs of payment on three occasions, last year.
He was arrested this week when he tried to do it for a forth time.
The company is being represented by its supervisor, Wang Xiang.
Hu Dong appeared before Harare regional magistrate Mrs Marehwanazvo Gofa charged with fraud and is expected to apply for bail today.
Prosecutor Mr Pardon Dziva alleged that on June 17 last year Hu came to Zimbabwe and misrepresented to the tiles company that he had capacity to buy floor tiles valued at R 1 007 224.
Hu sent a fake proof of payment purporting that he had transferred R 1 007 224 from his South African Standard Bank account into Sunny Yi Feng’s Ecobank account. He took the tiles and delivered them somewhere unknown in South Africa.
On August 24, last year Hu used a similar method of operation and he delivered floor tiles worth R649 952 to an unknown destination in South Africa, sending a fake proof of payment.
On November 28 last year, Hu used the same operandi and was given tiles worth R1 019 884.
The court heard that on Tuesday, Hu went to went to complainant’s premises intending to use similar tactic and ordered some floor tiles that cost US$45 000.
This time Sunny Yi Feng Tiles Company had already discovered that Hu had used fake proof of payment for the previous three orders.
When Hu was confronted about the issue, he promised to address the issue and was offered accommodation at the company premises.
In a bid to escape from the company premises, Hu tied sheets taken from the first floor of the building where he was accommodated and attempted to escape through the window, but was arrested by a security guard after a struggle as he was very aggressive to the security personnel.
Online Reporter
Bongani Ndlovu