Nokuthula
Sibanda (56) of Gwabalanda suburb and her alleged accomplice Nothando Ndlovu
(48), who resides in the United Kingdom and is originally from Upper Rangemore,
are accused of orchestrating a fraudulent scheme that targeted desperate job
seekers between 2022 and 2023.
The pair
appeared before Western Commonage magistrate Mr Archie Wochiwunga on Thursday
facing 13 counts of fraud. Sibanda was granted US$100 bail and remanded to 29
May, while Ndlovu was denied bail due to fears she could abscond, given her UK
base.
The prosecutor,
Ms Audrey Kufandikanwe, told the court that the two women posed as agents for a
UK-based job recruitment company, convincing their victims that they could
secure employment and sponsor travel documentation, particularly certificates
of sponsorship (CoS), which are legally required for non-UK nationals to work
in the country.
“The accused
persons misrepresented themselves to their victims, claiming they could
facilitate employment opportunities in the United Kingdom. Using this ruse,
they solicited and received large sums of money under false pretences,” said Ms
Kufandikanwe.
The alleged
scam ran from 2022 until October 2023, during which time the women targeted
desperate job-seekers.
One of the
victims, Sibusisiwe Sithole, was allegedly defrauded of US$5 730 between March
and May
2023. She was
allegedly promised that the money would secure a sponsorship certificate for
her daughter to work in the UK.
In a separate
case, Duduzile Ntazibona was allegedly conned out of US$4 050 on 18 November
2022, under the same promise of a UK job offer facilitated by a sponsorship
certificate. Ndlovu allegedly emailed a fake CoS document to the complainant,
after which communication was cut off.
“The
complainant made several follow-ups to check on the progress of the process,
but Sibanda kept giving excuses before eventually blocking her,” said the
prosecutor.
Another victim,
Bongani Moyo, allegedly lost US$6 200 in May 2023 in a similar scam. He only
managed to recover US$1 100 after confronting the accused. It was after his
report to the police that investigations were launched, leading to the arrest
of Sibanda and the eventual indictment of Ndlovu.
Of late, there
has been an increasing number of bogus employment agencies in the country that
prey on citizens seeking job opportunities abroad.
Police have on
several occasions warned the public against falling prey to unregistered and
unverified recruitment agencies. Most overseas employment opportunities,
particularly in countries like the UK, require strict documentation and are
only processed through licensed and accredited agents. Chronicle
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