High School student duped US$535, lured with false part-time job promise

Tsenulo Moyo

A 53-YEAR-OLD man from Makokoba suburb in Bulawayo was arrested for allegedly duping a high school student of US$535 after promising her a part-time job.

Vivian Mutasa appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Ernest Muzembe facing theft charges.

He pleaded not guilty to the alleged offense. The matter was remanded for continuation of trial.

The circumstances are that on January 9, 2025, at around 9am., Amanda Kerry Madziro met Mutasa, who was in the company of his co-accused still at large, at the Methodist Church in Makokoba.

Mutasa allegedly offered her a part-time job carrying children’s donations and told her to put her money in an envelope so she could easily carry the donations.

The complainant complied and placed US$535 in the envelope, handing it to the accused persons, who then left.

A few minutes later, the two accused persons returned and handed the envelope back to the complainant.

After they left, the complainant checked the envelope’s contents and found her money had been replaced with old Zimbabwean dollar notes. She looked for the accused persons, but they were gone.

The total value stolen was US$535, and nothing was recovered. The matter was reported to the police, and investigations led to the accused person’s arrest.