Trio faces US$500k fraud charge

Tendai Rupapa Senior Court Reporter—
A petroleum company nearly lost fuel worth over half a million dollars to three suspected fraudsters who used a fake CR14 certificate as surety for the acquisition of 4 000 litres. Stephen Rwodzi (52), Alexio Madharamete (33) and Austin Rukai (31) and their accomplice who is still at large, heard that a Harare woman (name not supplied) was selling her plot worth US$70 000 and approached her on the pretext that they wanted to buy it before misrepresenting themselves as directors of Rearcum Enterprises.

The woman allegedly gave them an agreement of sale for signing and the trio then made a fake CR14 certificate reflecting that the woman was also a director in their company hence had agreed to use her property as collateral in buying the 4 000 litres of fuel on credit from Petrotrade.

Rwodzi, Madharamete and Rukai appeared in court last week charged with fraud.
Their accomplice Susan Muradzikwa is still at large.

Magistrate Mr Tendai Mahwe, remanded them to September 15 on US$100 bail each.
Prosecutor Miss Sharon Mashavira alleged that on August 2 Rwodzi, Madharamete, Rukai and Muradzikwa got information that the complainant was selling her plot and they approached her masquerading as directors of Rearcum Enterprises.

They agreed on a purchase price of US$70 000 and the woman drafted an agreement of sale, which she gave to the accused persons for them to sign.

On August 7, while still in possession of the agreement of sale, the quartet went to Petrotrade head office and submitted an application for the acquisition of 4 000 litres of fuel worth US$520 000.

They allegedly attached a fictitious CR14 certificate reflecting that the complainant was one of the directors of their company.
They also indicated that the complainant had agreed to use her property as surety before submitting another fake valuation certificate indicating that the property was worth US$450 000.

Petrotrade sales department recommended the application and forwarded it to their loss control department for verification, the court heard.
The offence came to light after the company’s loss control officer Precious Matoreba visited the property for assessment and met the complainant.
The woman made a police report and a trap was set up, leading to the arrest of the trio.