A WOMAN from Emganwini suburb in Bulawayo
has accused musician Mrs Sandra Ndebele-Sibindi of viciously demanding that she
repays nearly $90 000 which was stolen last week in an illegal money changing
deal that went sour.
Mrs Lindiwe Moyo lost $80 000 (bond) and
US$ 8 330 to three suspects — two men and a woman — who offered her a lift from
Beitbridge to Bulawayo only to speed off without her after they had taken a
recess in Colleen Bawn.
The money was in a suitcase. It has since
emerged that the money allegedly belonged to Mrs Ndebele-Sibindi who had
offered it to Ms Simangani Gwemende — an illegal money changer.
In an interview yesterday, Ms Gwemende
said although she was employed by Mrs Ndebele-Sibindi to trade the money on the
forex black market, she “subcontracted” Mrs Moyo — another illegal money
changer — to do the job as they have always done.
She said Mrs Moyo lost the money while
bringing it back to Mrs Ndebele-Sibindi who wanted it. The matter was reported to the police who
have since launched investigations into the theft of the money.
Ms Gwemende said Mrs Ndebele-Sibindi is
now demanding that she pays back the money and allegedly forced her to sign an
affidavit saying she would pay US$1 000 every day until the “debt” is cleared.
“I work with Sandra Ndebele the singer.
She usually gives me money in cash bond notes or bank transfers so that we can
buy US dollars. So I also work with several other people who have their own
ways of getting the US dollars. So what happened is that she had given me $100
000 bond notes to change it into forex as usual,” she said.
Ms Gwemende said after buying about US$11
000, Mrs Ndebele-Sibindi demanded the rest of the money but due to commitments
elsewhere, she engaged Mrs Moyo to take it to her.
She said Mrs Moyo lost the cash after
people who offered her a lift from Beitbridge sped off leaving her behind in
Colleen Bawn.
Ms Gwemende said Mrs Ndebele-Sibindi is
now demanding the stolen money in US dollars only and wants US$55 923.
She said Mrs Ndebele-Sibindi is now
claiming that “they are playing her” and the theft story was stage-managed.
“Mrs Ndebele-Sibindi said she doesn’t care
about Lindy’s stories as she never engaged her although she knows that this is
how we operate. We operate as groups and in my last eight months working with
her, I’m not the only one who has been delivering the cash to her. I usually
tell her who would be bringing it to her. But because the money has been stolen
she blames me alone. She is now demanding that I give her US$1 000 per day and
forced me to sign an affidavit to that effect,” Ms Gwemende.
When The Chronicle contacted Mrs
Ndebele-Sibindi, she claimed that she did not know Ms Gwemende and had nothing
to do with the issue.
However, this newspaper is in possession
of an affidavit written by Ms Gwemende naming Mrs Ndebele-Sibindi in the case.
“I Simangani Gwemende acknowledge
receiving $55 923 (fifty five thousand nine hundred and twenty three dollars)
from Sandra Ndebele (ID number supplied) and promise to pay each and every day
any amount I get not less than $1 000 (one thousand dollars) towards my
repayment,” reads the affidavit which was signed by a Commissioner of Oaths
stationed at ZimPost building in Bulawayo on October 18, 2018.
Ms Gwemende confirmed that the affidavit
in The Chronicle’s possession is the one which the singer forced her to sign.
Over the weekend, President Emmerson
Mnangagwa said police investigations have proved that illegal money changers
operating from the streets were just pawns in the black market scheme.
The President said wanton illicit currency
deals have disturbed the economy resulting in massive market failures,
manifesting in complete collapse of the pricing framework for virtually all
commodities. President Mnangagwa said arrests are
imminent. Chronicle
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