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Two Bulawayo women, Nokuthula Sibanda (63) and Nothando Ndlovu (48) have been arrested for defrauding eight UK job seekers of US$47,811.
The duo ran a fraudulent scheme for over two years, posing as agents for job placement services in the United Kingdom.
They misrepresented themselves as experts in facilitating job placements, collecting substantial fees from their victims but ultimately failing to deliver on their promises.
According to a statement released by the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP), the scam took place between December 2022 and November 2024.
The two suspects reportedly convinced the victims that they could secure their employment in the UK, asking for facilitation fees that amounted to a significant total of US$47,811.
The police confirmed their arrests, stating,
“The ZRP confirms the arrest of Nokuthula Sibanda (63) and Nothando Ndlovu (48) in connection with eight cases of Fraud which occurred between December 2022 and November 2024 in Bulawayo.
The two suspects misrepresented themselves as agencies specializing in job placements in the United Kingdom and defrauded the complainants a total of US$47 811. 00 cash.”
The arrest of Sibanda and Ndlovu comes amidst a growing trend of job seekers being duped by scammers. In a separate case, the ZRP arrested a couple last year for defrauding job seekers of a staggering US$134,552. Sitshengisiwe Ndlovu (46) and
Alison Unami (30) were accused of running a similar scam, promising job opportunities in Canada, the United Kingdom, and Ireland.
The couple used WhatsApp to conduct fake interviews, presenting themselves as agents for a company offering lucrative jobs abroad.
The scheme operated from August 2022 to May 2023, during which 46 victims lost a total of US$134,552. The suspects promised job placements within three weeks after receiving a fee of US$4,000 per victim. However, as the weeks went by, the victims received vague excuses from the scammers, leading to growing frustration and uncertainty.
The fraud came to light when one of the victims alerted the police on May 3, 2023. Following a swift investigation, Alison Unami was arrested while loading belongings from their office premises. Shortly after, Sitshengisiwe Ndlovu was also arrested at the Bulawayo Police Station during a visit to her husband. (iharare.com)
Online Reporter