Online Reporter
Zvikomborero Parafini
THE trial of the man who allegedly positioned himself as a victim and duped victims of the Bevern Capital Ponzi scheme of over US$100,000, after promising to recover their money, is set to start next month.
Shepherd Chibaya has been in custody since he was extradited from UAE in August.
His trial is set to start on November 5.
Chibaya, who has masqueraded as a doctor and even faked his death, was issued with a warrant of arrest in March last year after he defaulted court and was arrested in Abu Dhabi. Chibaya allegedly defrauded three people – Mary Norah Chiweshe, Stanley Joy Mashiri and Saimon Tawanda Mtandwa— of more than US$105,000 in the aftermath of the 2021 Bevern Capital Ponzi scheme.
In that scam, scores of people were lured into depositing money with promises of a 50 percent return within six weeks.
When the scheme collapsed, victims were desperate to recover their savings.
Chibaya exploited the situation by pretending to be a fellow victim and even positioning himself as leader of a victims’ group.
He allegedly formed a group in which he pretended to help the victims recover their money and was subsequently selected as the chairperson.
The court heard that in 2020,Chibaya approached Chiweshe and misrepresented to her that he could assist her recover her money.
He made her believe that from all her invested money, a total of US$200,000 was available but he needed US$58,000 to be paid to ZIMRA which was refundable and she would get all her money.
Chiweshe raised the money and gave it to Chibaya believing that she was dealing with a professional person.
After a few days, Chibaya went on to misrepresent to Chiweshe that the money had been released by ZIMRA but he was intercepted by police detectives who wanted US$13,000 to release the money.
She handed the cash to Chibaya who promised her to bring all her money that same day. While Chiweshe was waiting for her money, Chibaya lied to her that he had been arrested by a certain police officer for failing to pay his debt of US$1,800.
Chibaya allegedly used another Whatsapp account and purported as if he was the police officer who had arrested him and wanted his money in order to release him.
He directed Chiweshe to give the money to a taxi driver, Innocent Kavhura.
Kavhura was given US$1,780.
Chibaya demanded a further US$3,200 which was allegedly supposed to be paid to a lawyer for his release and Chiweshe managed to pay US$3,200.
Chiweshe paid an additiona lUS$27,000 for the purported release of her money until Chibaya became evasive.
Mashiri paid US$850 towards the recovery of his US$3,200 but Chibaya became evasive after receiving the money.
Mutandwa allegedly paid US$2,000 towards the recovery of his US$30,000.
Heather Muokoto appeared for the State.
Peter Tanyanyiwa