Woman accused of $13,6m fraud

Paidamoyo Bore

A HARARE woman has been hauled to court on fraud charges involving $13 600 000.

Smolly Moyo was freed on $150 000 bail when she appeared before Harare magistrate Dennis Mangosi.

She will be back in court on December 5.

According to the State, sometime in January, Moyo approached the complainant, Nyasha Emmanuel Watyoka, and misrepresented to him that she had a contract to install a water purification plant.

Moyo requested Watyoka to fund her account with $13 600 000 so she could obtain foreign currency from the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe auction system.

She claimed she wanted to buy equipment for the water purification plant installation project.

In return, she promised to pay for Watyoka’s financial obligations of R1.8 million, in South Africa.

Watyoka then transferred the $13 600 000 into Moyo’s account.

She, however, converted the money to her own use.

Watyoka tried to engage Moyo, to settle his financial obligations in South Africa, but she became evasive until he realised that he had been duped.

Nothing was recovered.

Pardon Dziva appeared for the State.