TWO Bulawayo fraudsters who walked into a police trap have
each been jailed for four years for duping a man of US$3 500 by selling him a
residential stand using the stand owner’s fake national identity card.
Stancilus Phiri (45) and Richard Ncube (63) both of
Iminyela Flats in Iminyela suburb duped Mr Shepherd Nkomo (53) of Cowdray Park
suburb. .
The duo misrepresented to Mr Nkomo, who wanted to buy a
residential stand for his son, that they were selling stand number 21647 in
Pumula South which was registered in the name of Mr Pikirai Muchaona (53) of
Cowdray Park suburb.
They sold the stand for US$4 000 and Mr Nkomo paid them
US$3 500 and started building on the site, before the stand owner raised alarm.
The two were arrested when they approached Mr Nkomo to
collect the remaining US$500.
The court heard that Phiri and Ncube created a fake
national identity card which was registered in Mr Muchaona’s name but had
Phiri’s face.
They used the fake ID in selling the stand. The duo pleaded
guilty to fraud when they appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Mr Lizwe Jamela.
They were each sentenced to four years in prison. Three
months were suspended from each of their sentences for five years on condition
that they do not commit a similar offence.
“A further six months in prison is suspended on condition
that each accused person restitutes the complainant before March 30 this year.
The accused persons will each serve 39 months in prison,” Mr Jamela said.
The magistrate also ordered that the fake identity card be
destroyed.
Prosecuting, Mr Terrence Chakabuda said sometime in
November last year, the accused persons connived with Sethukani Ncube, John
Dube and Simba who are still at large and approached Mr Nkomo.
“The accused persons told him that they were selling a
stand in Pumula South suburb for US$4 000. The complainant paid US$3 500
towards the stand and began constructing a house on the land,” he said.
Sometime in January this year, Mr Muchaona visited his
stand and discovered that the stand had been sold to someone and construction
had started.
He reported the matter to the police. On Monday last week,
the accused persons then went to Pumula Housing office where they were supposed
to meet the complainant for him to sign “consent papers” and pay them the
balance of US$500.
This led to their arrest. Phiri and Ncube were also
searched leading to the recovery of the fake national identity card. Chronicle
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