Online Reporter
Zvikomborero Parafini
FOUR people from Harare have appeared in court facing charges of allegedly defrauding fans by manufacturing, printing and selling counterfeit Premier Soccer League (PSL) VVIP and VIP cards.
The quartet — Fungai Chikonyora, Alinajee Aruba, Blessed Pessy Kadzima and Chamunorwa Muguti — appeared before Mbare magistrate Tatenda Mukurunge on Tuesday.
They were granted bail of US$50 each.
The PSL, represented by its acting chief executive officer, Mr Rodwell Thabe, is the complainant in this case.
The fraudulent activities reportedly occurred between March and July 6, this year, during which the four conspired to deceive both PSL officials and fans.
Court documents reveal that Chikonyora initially approached Aruba, seeking someone capable of printing fake PSL VVIP cards.
They subsequently enlisted Kadzima and Muguti, with Kadzima allegedly responsible for printing the counterfeit cards using equipment owned by Muguti.
The fake cards were sold for US$150 each, with the operation being led by a man impersonating an individual affiliated with the PSL.
The scheme was uncovered when Thabe, monitoring entry at Rufaro Stadium Gate 7 on Sunday — the designated access point for genuine VVIP attendees — noticed irregularities among some attendees.
Suspicious of the credentials presented, Thabe cross-checked the names on the cards against official PSL records and discovered they were invalid.
This prompted him to raise the alarm and involve the police, resulting in the quartet’s arrest.
