Police bust Zesa employees imposters’ syndicate

and demanding bribes from disconnected clients and illegally reconnecting them.
With thousands of clients being disconnected for not paying their bills, it is suspected that several people might have fallen prey to the alleged tricksters.
Macdonald Mthandazo Ngwenya (28) of 4471 Emakhandeni, was arrested last week for swindling a number of people purporting to be a Zesa agent and promising to clear their debts. He was working in connivance with one Nico Ngwenya, who is still at large.
The two suspects would move around targeting people whom they would see either going to the Zesa banking hall or leaving the place and introduce themselves as agents.
In some instances, they would go around suburbs claiming to be meter readers upon which they would ask Zesa customers whether they have outstanding debts which needed to be cleared.
They would demand bribes ranging from US$100 to US$300, and promise their clients that Ngwenya would go to his office and cancel their debts.
Ngwenya was arraigned before Bulawayo magistrate Mr Victor Mpofu yesterday to answer to two counts of fraud after he swindled two people recently.
He pleaded guilty to the offence and was remanded out of custody on US$40 bail.
Ngwenya told the court he engaged in fraud because he wanted to raise money to go to college in January after securing a place.
The State was told that on 8 August, Ngwenya went to Ms Nyarai Sigauke’s house at Number 6616 Gwabalanda claiming to be a meter reader.
Ms Sigauke told him that she had a huge debt and feared she might be disconnected.
Ngwenya told her that he could assist her clear the debt for a fee.
Ms Sigauke promised to pay US$200, which she later gave to Ngwenya.
After a few weeks, Ms Sigauke received a bill form Zesa still showing the same money owed plus that month’s bill. She tried to phone him but he kept avoiding her.
On the second count, Ngwenya met one Mr Davie Moyo of Number 4 Irene Avenue in Sauerstown at the Highgate Shopping Complex between 10th and 11th Avenues on 16 November at about 10am.
Mr Moyo was with his friend discussing how his house had been disconnected by Zesa workers for non-payment of bills.
Upon hearing the conversation, Ngwenya approached him and introduced himself as a Zesa employee and promised to assist him in clearing the debt.
The court heard that he told Mr Moyo that it would cost him US$150 to clear the outstanding bill.
At about 1pm the same day, Nico phoned Mr Moyo and told him to meet them at Manor Hotel where they would conduct their deal.
They met at about 1.30pm Mr Moyo gave US$150 to Nico who then told him Ngwenya would go to the office and clear the outstanding bill as a Zesa employee.
The court was told that Mr Moyo realised that time had lapsed before the two could clear his debt and started phoning them and they would answer his calls or dodge him.
Ngwenya was only arrested when he met Mr Moyo in the city centre and he effected a citizen’s arrest.
It was at this time that Ms Sigauke also positively identified Ngwenya at an identification parade at the Bulawayo Central Police Station and also filed a case against him.