The court has issued a warrant of arrest for Kudakwashe
Pfavai (28) of Marshal Farm Chakari, Daniel Pfavai (29) of Nowhere Phase 1,
Norton and Nyasha Marumahoko (28) of Chikonohono in Chinhoyi.
Bulawayo magistrate Ms Linear Khumalo postponed the matter
to Thursday this week as the accused persons did not show up for the ruling.
The State represented by Mr Nhlalwenhle Dube said on 14
November 2020, the trio enticed Mr Phinias Munda of Imbizo Barracks, who is a
manager at Ndlovu Syndicate Mines in Enyandeni at Matopto, to buy gold in
Shangani area.
“Mr Munda drove to Shangani and met the accused persons who
showed him a loaded 50kg cement sack tied and placed inside a boot of a
Mercedes Benz C200 registration number AFG 1336 indicating to him that it was
unprocessed powdered gold. The trio lured Mr Munda to the nearby Shangani River
where there was enough water for slimming. Using mercury, the sand produced 7kg
of amalgam,” said Mr Dube.
The court heard that the suspects and complainant weighed a
smelted sample of 42.3g of amalgam and got 41.1g of gold. Mr Munda got deceived
as he failed to observe that the real gold which they used as a sample had been
switched by one of the accused from his pocket.
After sampling they agreed that 7kg of amalgam would
produce 2kg of gold after smelting. Mr Munda paid US$70 000 and left for his
office to smelt the “gold concentrate.”
The offence came to light after Mr Munda had smelted the
amalgam and discovered that he had been duped. He made a police report.
Police tracked down the trio and arrested them in Chinhoyi
while they were travelling in a Toyota Runx registration number AFA 0874.
Police searched the vehicle and recovered a sack filled with the same sand
hidden inside a boot. The complainant was contacted and positively identified
the culprits.
In their defence the trio denied fleecing Mr Munda, arguing
that they did all necessary gold processing procedures in his presence and
reached an agreement. They further argued that Mr Munda wanted to con his
employer through fabricating a fraud case against them.
The recovered sands and remains of the fake gold were taken
to an assayer who ascertained that it was fake. Mr Munda suffered a prejudice
of US$70 000 and nothing was recovered. Chronicle
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