Wenslus Murape
Zvikomborero Parafini
A UZ graduate, who thought she had received a kiss of life when scores of people donated money to cover her kidney transplant, has been duped a big chunk of that cash by a heartless Ecocash dealer.
Ruth Hwarara’s plight captured the attention of the nation when she started raising funds in April to enable her to undergo a US$30 000 kidney transplant in India.
She used social media to highlight her case and many Zimbabweans, touched by her desperate plight, donated towards her cause.
When Hwarara fell ill in January this year, she found out that she needed an urgent kidney transplant which could be done in India for US$30 000.
She did not have the money to cover the expenses.
She appealed to Zimbabweans for a helping hand and many responded towards her cause with various donations.
The donations were sent through the Ecocash account number of her uncle, Nigel Makono.
When Makono’s Ecocash account reached its limit, he decided to cash out US$6 000, and he approached an Ecocash dealer in Harare for the transaction on April 3.
He visited Tendai Chibwe’s Econet shop, which is located at a service station along the Harare/Bulawayo highway, intending to do a cash out transaction of US$6000.
He was assured by Chibwe that the money was readily available.
Makono transferred US$6000 in batches of US$500.
When Makono finished transfering US$6000 into Chibwe’s account, he was given US$500 cash.
Chibwe promised that the balance of the money, US$5 500, would be available after 30 minutes.
However, Makono indicated that he would collect it at the end of day as he wanted to go with Hwarara to see her doctor.
Makono then made additional transfers to bring the total to US$13 000.
Chibwe only paid out US$1 100 and became evasive.
Efforts to collect the balance did not yield anything.
Chibwe was released on US$100 bail.
Online Reporter