A HARARE businesswoman reportedly lost almost US$30 000 after a suspected fraudster masqueraded as an agent able to import a motor vehicle on her behalf.
Richwell Chigwalo (26) appeared before Harare magistrate Stanford Mambanje who remanded him out of custody to June 20 for routine remand on a US$200 bail.
Natasha Chidemo is the owner of Granacon Investments (Pvt) Ltd, a company in the business of selling hardware materials.
Prosecutor Loveit Muringwa alleged that sometime in August last year, Chidemo met Chigwalo, who allegedly misrepresented to her that he could import vehicles from South Africa. During the same month, the parties signed an agreement in which Chigwalo was to import a Toyota Fortuner 4x4 from South Africa.
On August 22, 2023, Chidemo allegedly paid a deposit of US$15 500 to Chigwalo.
Court documents state that Chigwalo requested transportation costs for the vehicle from South Africa and Chidemo paid US$1 000 to accused person. Muringwa also alleged that on October 27 last year, Chigwalo instructed Chidemo to deposit US$12 100 in his South African registered company Richwell Trading and Projects Nedbank account for import duty.
Chigwalo allegedly became evasive after failing to deliver the vehicle.
Chidemo was prejudiced of US$28 600.
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