admin
Fungai Jachi Court Reporter
A five-member gang last week appeared in court on allegations of fraud after it allegedly duped a prominent Ruwa businessman and commercial farmer Mr Joseph Mutangadura and his colleague Mr Austin Muchibwa of more than US$6 000.
Tawanda Matimura (34), Darlington Dandazara (29), Thompson Njawaya (31), Nigel Hungwe (29) and Tungamira Njawaya (32), appeared before Harare magistrate Mr Milton Serima charged with fraud.
The five who allegedly sold broiler “reject” chicks, disguised as “road runners” to Messrs Mutangadura and Muchibwa were released on US$300 bail apiece and Mr Serima remanded them to December 19.
Prosecutor Ms Sharon Mashavira alleged that on September 29, Mr Muchibwa saw an advert placed in a local paper, advertising day old indigenous chicks (road runners).
He subsequently responded to the advert by phoning Matimura who informed him that each bird was going for US$0,60, the court heard.
On October 4, Matimura proceeded to Mr Muchibwa’s home in Waterfalls, where he showed a sample of some of the birds which had been reared for four weeks. The court heard Mr Muchibwa was satisfied with the breed and immediately placed an order of 5 000 chicks that were later delivered on October 10 by two of the five.
The court further heard that Mr Muchibwa paid US$2 800 cash and went on to transfer US$200 into Matimura’s EcoCash account.
However, after a week, 4 200 chicks of the delivered consignment died under unclear circumstances, prompting him to consult animal health experts.
An examination on the dead chicks revealed that they were actually broiler “reject” chicks, and not indigenous as alleged by the five.
The court heard that Mr Mutangadura also placed an order for 7 100 birds from the five and paid US$3 950 for the delivery.
After a month, 6 700 of the birds died, and after consulting his friend the pair came to a conclusion that they had been duped.
The duo reported the matter, leading to the arrest of the five.
Online Reporter