adminThe three Zenzo Moyo (40), Mthandazo Ncube (29) and an unidentified woman who used a pseudo name Kesi Ncube and is still at large, would allegedly sell other people’s houses on the pretext they owned the property or collect money from prospective home seekers who would be looking for houses to rent.
Most of their victims are Zimbabweans based in South Africa.
The trio allegedly conducted their business from shebeens dotted around the city’s western suburbs, which they claimed to the unsuspecting clients that they owned.
They would advertise the targeted premises at the shebeens where injivas frequented.
The trio reportedly targeted houses whose owners would have died or where children lived alone.
Moyo of 61492 Pelandaba and Ncube of 9050/23 Pumula East were arraigned before Bulawayo magistrate Mr Abednico Ndebele to answer to charges of defrauding Mr Handsome Dube, their latest victim of Nketa 7 who they allegedly swindled close to 100 000 rand, and four others who they allegedly swindled of amounts ranging from $100 and $200 for rentals last month.
Moyo and Ncube were not asked to plead to fraud and were remanded in custody to 21 February.
Allegations are that in June last year, the trio met Mr Dube who was looking for a house to buy.
The three allegedly hatched a plan to defraud him by claiming that they were selling a house, Number 12579 Nkulumane 12. The court heard that the three took Mr Dube to the property for viewing. There were children at the house when the viewing took place.
Mr Dube showed interest in the house.
It is alleged the three invited him to a shebeen in Lobengula West where Kesi drafted an agreement of sale and the complainant paid 97 450 rand for the house.
The offence came to light when Mr Dube wanted to move into the house and discovered that it was not on sale and the three were not the owners.
Investigations by police also revealed that Kesi Ncube, who the woman claimed to be, died in 2002. Moyo and Ncube were arrested last week after defrauding four other home seekers who they met at the shebeens and offered them houses to rent.
Between 3 January and 28 January this year, the suspects allegedly approached Mr Isaac Mapara of Magwegwe North, Ms Beauty Nhari of Nkulumane 5, Mr Albert Munhoro of Old Pumula and Ms Senzelweyinkosi Moyo of Gwabalanda who wanted houses to rent and indicated to them that they have premises to rent out.
The court heard that they led their unsuspecting clients to some houses in Gwabalanda and Tshabalala for viewing and were given money for rent.
The trio later gave the complainants keys to the premises but discovered that keys could not unlock the gates and doors.
It is alleged that the complainants tried to locate the accused persons to get the correct set of keys but to no avail until they reported the matter to the police.
Mr Malvern Nzombe is appearing for the State.
Online Reporter