Gweru socialite gets community service for US$6 800 fake mercury scam

Where the father disputes paternity, the court still orders him to pay maintenance in the interim

A GWERU socialite has been sentenced to community service after admitting to defrauding a Bindura businessman of US$6 800 in a bogus mercury deal arranged through social media.

Manford Mapholisa (42), of Claymont suburb in Gweru, was convicted on his own plea of guilty to one count of fraud before Gweru magistrate Mr Arnold Maburo.

He was sentenced to 280 hours of community service and ordered to pay restitution of US$6 800 to the complainant, Mr Byron Katsande, by October 30.

Mr Katsande, an accountant at a mine in Chegutu who resides in Bindura, lost the money after responding to an online advertisement offering mercury for sale.

Prosecutor Mr Brandon Ndlovu told the court that on November 29 last year, Mr Katsande came across a Facebook page called Silver Mercury and expressed interest in purchasing the chemical.

On December 2, Mapholisa contacted the complainant by telephone at 0700 761 393 and 0718 308 810, falsely claiming to be a mercury supplier based in Gweru.

The court heard that Mapholisa instructed Mr Katsande to travel to Gweru on December 5 to complete the transaction.

Upon arriving in the city centre, the complainant was met by one of Mapholisa’s alleged accomplices, identified only as Jamala, who remains at large.

Jamala escorted Mr Katsande to meet Mapholisa, who produced a bottle purportedly containing one kilogramme of mercury as proof that he had the commodity in stock.

When Mr Katsande indicated that he wished to purchase 20 kilogrammes, Mapholisa demanded US$6 800.

Believing the transaction to be genuine, the complainant handed over the cash.

After receiving the money, Mapholisa told Mr Katsande to wait while he went to collect the mercury, leaving him in the company of Jamala.

However, Mapholisa never returned and his mobile phone became unreachable. Jamala also disappeared, leaving the complainant stranded.

Mr Katsande reported the matter to the police, triggering investigations.

Detectives later set up a trap by posing as prospective mercury buyers. Using the same modus operandi, Mapholisa directed the undercover officers to Mkoba 1 in Gweru and once again sent Jamala to meet them.

Police arrested Jamala during the operation, leading to Mapholisa’s subsequent arrest and prosecution.