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Tendai Rupapa Senior Court Reporter
A serial fraudster who allegedly swindled several people in Mabelreign, Harare, of cash and valuables after lying to their maids that she had been sent to collect the items, was yesterday jailed for an effective three years and seven months.
Moreblessing Mavhura (30) pleaded guilty to seven counts of fraud.
Mavhura misrepresented to her victims that their employers had asked her to collect money and electrical gadgets that included television sets, laptops and iPads. She went away with cash and property worth more than $2 000.
Among the victims was Ms Valerie Ngoma, a regional prosecutor at the Harare Magistrates’ Court, who lost cash and a laptop after her maid was fell for Mavhura’s guile.
The magistrate, Mrs Vongai Muchuchuti-Guuriro, ordered Mavhura to restitute all the complainants on or before October 30 this year.
Mavhura would approach the maids asking to see the owner of the house and when told the owner was not available, she would pretend she had forgotten the name and when given this by the maid, she would save the name with one of her phone numbers.
She would then send herself a message using another phone instructing the maid to give her money or whatever she asked for.
Mavhura would pretend to be the owner of the house in the text message, instructing the maid to give her items like computers, iPads and televisions.
On August 1, Mavhura went to a house in Meyrick Park and approached Rachel Chichetu, and told that she had been sent by the owner of the house to collect cash and a television set.
She went away with the property.
The following day she proceeded to another house and approached Beauty Kabondo at around 3pm.
She lied to Kabondo that she had been sent by her employer to collect a laptop so that she would install games and was given an HP laptop.
Mavhura swindled several unsuspecting maids in this fashion.
Online Reporter