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Yeukai karengezeka Court Correspondent
Two Chitungwiza women, recently arrested by police for allegedly defrauding a man of almost US$7 000 in a envelope switch foreign currency deal have been granted bail.
Tsungirirai Makombe (40) and Nyararai Marufu (50) weregranted $10 000 bail each by the Chitungwiza resident magistrate Mr Tinashe Tashaya with their trial set for January 18.
The State led by Mrs Cecilia Mashingaidze alleged that Makombe, Marufu and their accomplice, who is still at large, approached Tonderai Marimanzi (37) at Makoni shops on December 11 this year at around 3pm and said that they were looking for US$10 000 in small denominations.
Marimanzi asked them to get into his motor vehicle so that they could count the money that was in an envelope.
Makombe handed over US$10 000 to Marimanzi to count and he also handed an envelope containing smaller denominations amounting to US$7 100 to her.
After counting the money she was given, Marufu told Marimanzi that the money he had given her was short by US$100. Makombe suggested that Marimanzi should either return the money she had given her or they can recount the smaller denominations that he had given her.
He returned the money and also got his envelope back but did not open it. The accused persons then disembarked from his vehicle and asked him to take them to a short way and he did.
When he returned to his car he took out the envelope to count his money and he discovered that the accused had exchanged envelopes and taken his that had US$7 100 and left theirs with US$257.
He tried to run after them but he failed to locate them. He lost US$6 843 and nothing was recovered.
He reported the matter to the police leading to their arrest.
Online Reporter