Online Reporter
Trish Mukwazo,[email protected]
TWO Bulawayo men who were found with US$1 500 in counterfeit notes appeared in court on Wednesday.
Pardon Chinhengo (29) of Barharm Green suburb and Clifford Sidingani Ndlovu (49) of Nketa 7 suburb were convicted on their own pleas of guilty to violating section 40 of the Criminal Law (Reform and Codification) Act, which prohibits possession of articles intended for criminal use, by Bulawayo magistrate Mrs Evia Matura on Tuesday.
The duo was remanded in custody to Thursday for sentencing.
The prosecutor, Ms Josephine Gurazhira said the offence came to light after Chinhengo attempted to purchase fuel using one of the fake notes.
“On 19 April, Ndlovu handed Chinhengo 15 counterfeit US$100 notes, fully aware that the money was fake,” said Ms Gurazhira.
The serial numbers of the forged notes included: CJ61755895A, PF51255585H, LD69490713B, LF976283336A, LF91572048A, LF05673244, LD69490713X2, LF97628336A, LF94652189A, LD69490625B x2, LF73572418A and LD69490373B x3.
Chinhengo later used one of the fake notes to buy fuel from Glow Petroleum Garage, handing it to an attendant, Mr Salim Abdul, who quickly suspected it was counterfeit. Chinhengo admitted receiving the money from Ndlovu, leading to the discovery of the remaining fake notes.
The case adds to a growing trend of counterfeit currency incidents across the country. In 2023, police in Gweru arrested two other Bulawayo men, Chrispen Kutira (42) of Fourwinds and Everson Kabura (38) of Cowdray Park who were reportedly part of a syndicate circulating fake currency across the country. The pair was apprehended at an apostolic shrine in Mtapa suburb, where police recovered counterfeit money stashed in their vehicle.
