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Yeukai Karengezeka
Court Correspondent
The trial of a suspected fraudster, Allen Thindwa Mzamu, who was allegedly part of an organised syndicate that would misrepresent to Zimbabwean companies that they had free funds to pay suppliers in South Africa in exchange for transfers in local currency, fleecing victims of over R1,2 million, has finally kicked off.
This was after Mzamu failed in seeking a postponement on the basis that his new lawyer Mr Tamutsa Muzana needed time to go through the record.
Presiding magistrate Mr Clever Tsikwa dismissed the application ,saying Mzamu had given several excuses for postponements since June 3.
Prosecutor Mr Tendai Tapi led evidence from the first witness , Mr Zvakatarwa Makoto, who is the director of Sitaz Health Care (Pvt) Ltd.
Mr Makoto told the court that in July 2019, he was referred to Mzamu, also known as Mhandu, through his workmate Isaac Nhindiri, who is the operations director for the company.
He indicated that he had free funds in South Africa and was willing to buy surgical materials there on behalf of the company, and he would be paid locally.
He also said Mzamu continuously inquired from him to find out when he would be ready to make the payment.
Mr Makoto later decided to buy a JCB TLB tractor loader and got hold of Mzamu on 28 November 2019, who confirmed that he had made a payment of R953 925 for the tractor.
He said all the communication with Mzamu was via WhatsApp.
Mr Makoto further said that JCB Polokwane confirmed the payment of the said amount through email, which prompted him to transfer ZWL$1 363 538 61 into a local fraudulently registered CBZ account number 02124698330010 belonging to Doctor Harrington and Associates.
When Mr Makoto released the money, Mzamu immediately recalled the R953 925 he had deposited into JCB Polokwane’s Nedbank account 1016686161.
Thereafter, he used the money to buy US dollars.
Online Reporter