A 32-year-old man from Bulawayo, Chrispen Nyoni, has been sentenced to five months in prison for scamming a family who were frantically searching for their missing 11-year-old relative.
Nyoni pleaded guilty to fraud charges before Harare magistrate Tapiwa Kuhudzai and was handed a six-month prison term, with one month suspended on condition that he repays the stolen money.
The heartbreaking case began on November 6, 2025, when the child went missing in Dzivarasekwa.
As the family searched for the boy, Nyoni saw an opportunity to exploit their vulnerability.
He responded to a social media post from the child's aunt, claiming to have information about the boy's whereabouts.
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Over the next two days, Nyoni convinced the aunt to send him a total of US$24.50 in airtime and cash, promising to reveal the child's location and even transport him back home.
However, it became clear that Nyoni had no intention of helping the family, and they reported him to the authorities.
Nyoni was arrested in Nkulumane, Bulawayo, and investigators recovered evidence, including his phone and his girlfriend's phone, which was used in the scam.
Kuhudzai condemned Nyoni's actions, stating that they took advantage of a family in a state of distress.
Nyoni will serve his five-month sentence behind bars.
The missing child's whereabouts remain unknown, and the family continues to appeal for information that could lead to his safe return.
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