A BULAWAYO woman has been arrested and appeared in court
yesterday for refusing to accept $2 bond notes which are part of the country’s
legal tender.
Prudence Mhene (21) who resides at 236 Sotshangane Flats in
Nguboyenja appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Mr Tinashe Tashaya facing
charges of contravening Section 3(2) as read with Section 4 of the Statutory
Instrument 175/2008 in terms of section 48 of Bank Use Promotion and
Suppression of Money Laundering Act.
Prosecuting, Mr Privilege Mudozvori said the accused person
refused to accept denominations of $2 bond notes from a customer who wanted to
purchase airtime. The accused person was plying her trade as an airtime vendor
in the city centre.
“On July 17 at 10am at Mandalane Building located at 5th
Avenue and Fife Street Bulawayo, the accused was selling airtime in the shop.
The complainant, Mr Mthokozisi Ngwenya handed over $18 bond notes intending to
buy Telecel airtime. The accused told Mr Ngwenya that she had a limit for the
amount of $2 bond notes and handed him back 2 x $2 notes and asked for a $5
note,” said Mr Mudozvori.
Mr Mudozvori said the accused person implied that the
customer should produce $5 bond notes only as she had limits of accepting
denominations less than $2 bond notes. The complainant later revealed his
identity as a police officer and the accused person was arrested. Mhene was
remanded out of custody to tomorrow.
The police have arrested over 100 suspects countrywide for
refusing to accept local currency as a legal tender. The arrests are made under
“Operation accept Zimbabwe currency as legal tender”, which
was launched in late June. The blitz comes after some people started rejecting
notes written “bond note” based on fake news circulating on social media
platforms. Chronicle
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