The trial of a suspected serial fraudster who allegedly
masqueraded as former High Court judge Justice Mafios Cheda and swindled
several Government officials of large sums of money continued yesterday with
one of the victims, Deputy Minister for Defence and War Veterans Affairs Victor
Matemadanda testifying.
It is alleged Tinashe Munhuweyi (36), of Mufakose in Harare
would call the victims and introduce himself as Justice Cheda and would pretend
to be desperate and in urgent need of financial help.
Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Dr
Sekai Nzenza and Member of Parliament for Bubi constituency Richard Moyo were
also conned.
Other victims include Great Zimbabwe University Professor
Ben Siyakwazi and a relative to the late retired High Court judge, Justice
Simpson Mutambanengwe, Naboth.
According to the State, the named victims lost a total of
over $12 000.
Cde Matemadanda yesterday took to the witness stand and
narrated before magistrate Mrs Rumbidzai Mugwagwa how he lost his $600 to the
suspected fraudster.
Cde Matemadanda said when he received the call for help
from the imposter, he was made to believe it was Justice Cheda since they had
met on several occasions.
He said he realised that he had been duped after “Justice
Cheda” became evasive when he wanted his money back. “At one point, I called
him (Munhuweyi) and he said he was in Namibia on his way to Belarus for a court
session,” he said.
“He then said he had instructed his wife to send me my
money but nothing came through. He was always changing stories that is when I
realised I had been played.
“I conducted my own investigations and later spoke to the
real Justice Cheda, who knew nothing about the transactions. Justice Cheda even
said he had also received various complaints of people who had been duped in
his name.”
Munhuweyi denied the allegations.
Prosecutor Ms Patience Chimusaru alleged that on September
17 last year, Munhuweyi contacted Cde Matemadanda while purporting to be
Justice Cheda and misrepresented that he had two trucks which had run out of
fuel at Chirundu Border Post.
He allegedly requested for $600 to refuel the trucks and
pay for other expenses. Munhuweyi allegedly asked Cde Matemadanda to transfer
the money into a supplied EcoCash account and promised to repay the debt.
Munhuweyi allegedly became evasive. On November 28, Munhuweyi, the court heard, contacted
Minister Sekai Nzenza masquerading as Justice Cheda and lied that his nephew
had a truck carrying fertiliser which had a breakdown on its way from South Africa.
He asked for $825 to fix the truck before asking for a
further $863 the following day which he said was for fuel.
The money was sent via EcoCash. Minister Nzenza became suspicious due to the unending
demands and made her own investigations which unearthed the scam.
Using the same modus operandi, Munhuweyi allegedly
defrauded Professor Siyakwazi after misrepresenting that his son “Christian
Cheda” had died while on his way to India for medical attention.
He then said he was looking for financial assistance
towards his son’s funeral.
Meanwhile, in a separate case Pastor Admire Kasi yesterday
appeared in court representing his real estate company, which is being charged
with fraud that happened in 2002.
Husband to gospel musician Ivy Kombo, Pastor Kasi returned
to Zimbabawe recently from his United Kingdom base.
He appeared before magistrate Mrs Vongai
Muchuchuti-Guwuriro and was remanded out of custody pending trial.
Prosecutor Mr Sebastian Mutizirwa told the court that
Pastor Kasi was not being charged in his personal capacity.
It is the State’s case that sometime in 2012, Priscilla
Moyo saw an advert in a local newspaper that indicated Adsa Real Estate was
selling a stand in Bluffhill, Harare.
She became interested and proceeded to Adsa Real Estate
offices on February 22.
Moyo, the State alleged, paid a total of Z$1 495 537 in
three instalmants for which she was given receipts.
After paying the full purchase price, Moyo who was then
based in Botswana, gave his brother Kennedy power of attorney to sign the
agreement of sale which was done on February 25.
It is the State’s case that on March 18, Moyo paid the
balance of Z$580 000 to Adsa Real Estate’s secretary and was issued with a
receipt.
She was promised the title deeds. Moyo, the court head, did not develop the stand but was later surprised to see someone else
developing it. Herald
0 comments:
Post a Comment