Law officer accused of US$700 000 fraud

Shine’s brother, Julius Bhakira, who is alleged to be the mastermind of the crime, is still at large.
The duo was not asked to plead to fraud charges when they appeared before magistrate Mr Donald Ndirowei, who remanded them out of custody to April 16 on US$50 bail apiece coupled with stringent conditions.
Prosecutor Mr Tapiwa Kasema alleges that some time in 2009, Christopher Mwerenga, who is based in South Africa and owns a house in Gunhill, ordered his brother-in-law, Farai Sithole, to rent out the property.
Acting on the instruction, Sithole entered into a lease agreement with Julius on the condition he would be depositing US$1 800 as monthly rentals into Mwerenga’s bank account.
Contrary to the terms and conditions of the lease agreement, it is alleged Julius further sublet the house to Sydney Hall.
He misrepresented to Hall that he was the owner of the house after he bought it from Mwerenga for US$380 000. He further said he had managed to pay US$280 000 and had an outstanding balance of US$100 000.
Hall, the court heard, was given an offer by Julius to pay the US$100 000 balance so that he would be incorporated into joint ownership of the house.
In pursuant to the plan, Julius on March 16 this year connived with Bopoto and created a founding affidavit purporting that Mwerenga was applying for an eviction of Julius from the property for failing to pay the outstanding balance.
In the fraudulent affidavit they changed Mwerenga’s names to read as Chrispen Mwaranga and forged his signature.
The two, armed with the affidavit, approached the magistrates’ court and appeared before magistrate Mr Brighton Pabwe and obtained a consent order on March 28 to facilitate eviction.
It is alleged by obtaining the eviction order, Bopoto and Julius wanted to convince Hall into believing that Julius indeed owed Mwerenga US$100 000 and make him pay the balance and become a “co-owner”.
On March 31, Hall was served with the eviction order and a neighbour’s gardener got the wind of the story and phoned Mwerenga in SA who then sent his wife to investigate the matter.
It is the State’s case that Mwerenga’s wife, who had been furnished with Hall’s contact details, met him at Meikles hotel, where she was shown the forged affidavit purported to have been signed by her husband, and a consent order.
The two proceeded to the house and saw Bopoto and Shine in the process of removing Hall’s property from the house. Mwerenga’s wife made a police report which led to Bopoto and Shine’s arrest.
Hall suffered a potential prejudice of US$100 000 while Mwerenga was to suffer a prejudice of US$600 000 in the event his house was sold and ownership changed.