adminThe suspected gang has been terrorising people for the past six months where it is alleged to have been driving around suburbs buying goods that included mostly chicken, eggs and clothes.
The gang would allegedly strike both in the western suburbs and eastern suburbs and speed off in its car after getting change.
Thabani Ndlovu (43), of Block 2/59666 Iminyela Flats, Johannes Ndlovu (29), of Block 7/9844 Iminyela Flats, Mark Dube (29), whose address was not given and Blessing Luzhi (27), of Block 16/4751 Mpopoma, were arrested on Wednesday after evading police for a long time.
They have allegedly been defrauding people from July to last week when the long arm of the law caught up with them.
Ndlovu, Johannes, Dube and Luzhi yesterday appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Mrs Sibongile Msipa facing more than 30 counts of fraud between them.
The four were not asked to plead and were remanded out of custody on different amounts of bail.
Ndlovu, who faces about 16 counts, was remanded on $70, Johannes $60, while Dube and Luzhi were granted $20 bail each.
They will be back in court on 4 January.
The court also ordered the four to restitute complainants the different amounts of money they defrauded them.
Allegations by the State are that between July and last week, the four hatched a plan to rob people in Bulawayo of their money using counterfeit $100 notes.
On 20 July, Ndlovu and Johannes allegedly went to Ms Sukoluhle Ncube’s house in Magwegwe and bought six strips of airtime recharge cards and six trays of eggs with a combined value of $51.
Ndlovu and Johannes paid with a fake $100 note and were given $49 change.
They fled from the scene when Ms Ncube realised the money was fake.
On 7 August, they went to Ms Juliet Mapuvire in Gwabalanda driving in a pick-up truck where they bought five chickens valued at $30 and paid using a fake $100 note and sped off after getting $70 as change.
On 9 September, the duo went to one Milton Sibanda’s house in Nkulumane 12 and bought 26 chickens valued at $182 and used two fake $100 notes and left saying they would collect change later.
On 15 September, the two allegedly defrauded Ms Betty Dube of Kingsdale and bought 14 chickens at $98.
They were given $2 after paying with a fake $100 note.
On 25 November, Ndlovu and Johannes went to Mr Petros Masiyambumbi’s Nketa house and bought floor polish for $10 and were given $90 change.
The two were joined by Dube to allegedly commit four more crimes around suburbs where they would buy goods especially from vendors and chicken dealers using the fake notes and get change in real money.
They were allegedly joined by Luzhi again in three other counts as they reportedly continued with their antics.
Acting on information they were getting from members of the public, detectives tracked the suspected syndicate until the four were arrested and 37 cases have since been resolved.
Mr Masimba Saruwaka appeared for the State.
Online Reporter