Chronicle Editor
Ashley Phiri, [email protected]
ROGUE policeman Prosper Mazokera was on Thursday sentenced to an effective 18-month imprisonment for defrauding desperate Bulawayo residents.
The first incident involved Opha Chavunduka, a vendor, whose goods were confiscated by police for operating without a licence.
The following day, Mazokera, dressed in his police uniform, approached Chavunduka and offered to help retrieve her confiscated goods. He fabricated a story about a police-only auction selling the items and convinced Chavunduka to pay US$390 for assistance in buying second-hand clothes. Mazokera then disappeared with the money.
Similar incidents followed. Ellen Mbono, a transport company owner, reported that Mazokera, posing as a sergeant named Moyo at the Vehicle Inspection Department (VID), demanded US$300 to expedite the return of her confiscated vehicle registration book. After receiving the payment, he vanished.
Mazokera’s spree continued on October 18, 2022, at the Bulawayo Registry Office where he impersonated a Bulawayo Civil Registry Office employee and defrauded Chinyadziro Otilia of US$170 by promising to facilitate quick passport processing.
On October 19, 2022, using the same trickery, Mazokera defrauded Joseph Dube of US$120 at the Bulawayo Civil Registry Office claiming to expedite his passport processing.
On the same day, Mazokera, clad in his police uniform, defrauded Joel Dekeya of US$130 and Ndema Lunga of US$140 with the promise of facilitating their passport processing.
His spree continued the following day as he defrauded Mlungisi Mbangeni of US$140 and Phethangani Sibanda of US$190 for quick passport processing.
Reports were filed in late October 2022, leading to his arrest. He faced eight counts of fraud for allegedly defrauding citizens of a total of US$1 360.
He pleaded not guilty to all the offences, but was sentenced to 36 months’ imprisonment of which 18 were suspended on condition that he reimburses the victims by August 30.
In a separate case, serial housing fraudster Elliot Maradze was further remanded in custody to June 19. Mharadze faces 47 counts of fraud.
In the latest charges, Mharadze, a director of Exceed Construction, allegedly swindled 14 complainants of a total of US$89 160 and R673 800.
Online Reporter