Wenslus Murape
THE story of a UZ graduate, who thought she had received the kiss of life when scores of people donated money to cover her kidney transplant, only for her to be duped a big chunk of that cash, was very distressing.
A heartless Ecocash dealer, Tendai Chibwe, was arrested and dragged to court last week.
Chibwe was released on US$100 bail.
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, generously 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.
Makono then approached an Ecocash dealer in Harare to cash out some of the money which was in his wallet.
He went to 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.
Makono transferred US$6000 in batches of US$500.
When Makono finished transferring 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, because Makono wanted to take Hwarara to see her doctor, he indicated that he would collect the money at the end of the day. Makono then made additional transfers to bring the total to US$13 000.
Chibwe only paid out US$1 100 and became evasive.
It’s a very sad story because what has so far come out is that Chibwe did not even care for the plight of Hwarara and, in doing so, he has put the life of this woman at serious risk.
There are many people, on social media, who are even appalled that Chibwe was given a US$100 bail because they feel that the crime, which he is being accused of committing, is quite grave.
We can understand their argument but that is how the law works.
What we can’t understand is why Chibwe did all this given the gravity of the situation which Hwarara finds herself in.
It’s very clear that Makono advised Chibwe of what all this money was about because, when they did the initial transaction, he told him that he couldn’t wait since he wanted to take Hwarara to see her doctor.
We are outraged by all this because this was one case in which as Zimbabweans we showed the power of things we can do if we are united. We showed in this case that we are a people who care for their countrymen and women and we pooled our resources to try and help Hwarara.
Online Reporter