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A SERIAL fraudster appeared in court yesterday facing unlawful acquisition of data and theft of electronic money amounting to about $700 000.
Trynos Muzanenhamo, 24, was not asked to plead when he appeared before Harare Magistrate Evelyn Mashavakure.
He was remanded to tomorrow for bail application.
It is the State’s case that Muzanenhamo, acting in connivance with his accomplice Kenneth Batsirai Doro, hatched a plan to dupe unsuspecting complainants.
Muzanenhamo allegedly hacked Robson Chinamasa’s WhatsApp number and used it to advertise in different WhatsApp groups that he was looking for local currency.
It is alleged that Muzanenhamo further cloned Pardon Mudarikwa’s bank account.
Unsuspecting complainants responded to Muzanenhamo.
After reaching agreements with them, he posted two bank account numbers, into which they were to deposit the money, before collecting the US dollars from him later.
The court heard that three different complainants deposited money into the bank accounts that Muzanenhamo provided.
When they tried to claim their US dollars, Muzanenhamo was no longer reachable.
Some of the complainants went to Chinamasa’s work place and discovered that his WhatsApp was hacked and being used to dupe people.
They filed a report with the police.
Muzanenhamo’s luck ran out when investigators found out that one of the bank accounts he provided belonged to Doro.
During interrogation, he informed detectives that he was working for Muzanenhamo.
The investigating officer opposed Muzanenhamo’s bail bid stating that he was a repeat offender, and he committed part of the fraud while out on bail.
Pardon Dziva appeared for the State.
dyton mupawaenda
Online Reporter