Rugby coach dupes parents

Tendai Rupapa Senior Court Reporter
An Old Johannians rugby player who was coaching at David Livingstone Primary School allegedly duped parents of $5 000 after luring them into believing that he would secure educational scholarships for their children. Shingirai Kowo (21) also misrepresented to the nine parents that he had organised a rugby tournament for their children in South Africa before ordering them to contribute money for the trip and for the processing of the scholarships.

Kowo appeared before magistrate Mr Elijah Makomo and was charged with fraud. He was remanded in custody after prosecutor Mr Peter Kachirika opposed bail on the basis that he was of no fixed aboard.

Mr Kachirika told the court that the address which Kowo provided to the police was non-existent. His trial date has been set for May 9. The State alleged that between September and October last year, Kowo approached the headmaster of David Livingstone Primary School identified as Mr Ndhlela and requested to voluntarily train and coach rugby at the school.

Mr Ndlela referred him to the school’s sports officer a Mr Mako, who subsequently gave him the green light.

Kowo trained the pupils for some few weeks, the court heard.

He later contacted the pupils’ parents and advised them that he had organised a rugby tournament for their children in South Africa, which was to be held in December of the same year.

Kowo, the State alleged, also misrepresented to the parents that he was capable of facilitating scholarships for the pupils at St Georges College, who would have excelled in their Grade Seven examinations.

According to the State, the parents were ordered to contribute varying amounts of money ranging from $150 to $1 400 for the trip and processing fees for the scholarship.

As a result, nine parents fell for the scam and paid $5 000 to Kowo for the trip and the scholarships.

The said parents were given offer letters for the said “scholarship”.

However, the trip did not materialise, the court heard.

Armed with the offer letters, the parents proceeded to St Georges’ College where they were advised that the school was not offering such a programme.

The parents discovered that they had been duped prompting them to make a report to the police.

Kowo was arrested during a match at Old Hararians Sports Club.