Online Reporter
Yeukai Karengezeka-Chisepo-Court Correspondent
A HARARE man who allegedly posed as a runner for Mabvuku-Tafara legislator Scott Sakupwanya and used the claim to defraud a complainant of R60 000 appeared in court yesterday.
Hilton Tapiwa Liwanda (29) appeared before Harare magistrate Mr Tapiwa Kuhudzai facing a charge of fraud. He was granted US$300 bail and remanded to October 8.
Prosecutor Ms Chipo Muvhamba alleged that on August 17, 2026, Liwanda, together with an accomplice still at large, approached the complainant (name not supplied) and claimed he was in communication with Honourable Sakupwanya, who was allegedly looking for mining equipment in South Africa.
The court heard that Liwanda further misrepresented that the MP was already in South Africa and needed South African Rands to settle parking fees for his private jet at Lanseria International Airport.
It is alleged that Liwanda told the complainant that Hon Sakupwanya had United States dollars and would reimburse the money once they met at the DaVinci Hotel in South Africa to discuss the proposed mining equipment deal.
Liwanda allegedly assured the complainant that he had facilitated similar transactions involving the legislator for several clients in the past and that the deal was genuine.
The court further heard that Liwanda provided the complainant with a South African FNB bank account belonging to his accomplice and instructed him to deposit the money there.
Believing the representations, the complainant allegedly transferred R60 000 into the supplied account, then travelled to the agreed meeting point, where he waited for the purported meeting with Hon Sakupwanya.
However, the meeting did not take place as the purported Cde Sakupwanya failed to turn up.
The complainant subsequently attempted to reverse the transaction, but discovered the money had already been withdrawn from the account. He then contacted Liwanda, who allegedly became evasive, prompting him to report the matter to the police.
