A Harare-based vehicle importer appeared in court this week facing fraud charges after allegedly swindling five people out of a combined US$47,776 through purported vehicle import and resale deals.
Christopher Chiroroma, a serving soldier whose age was not disclosed in court, was charged with fraud before Harare magistrate Ruth Moyo.
The complainants listed in the matter are Bothwell Muskwe, Farai Lavender Mukudoka, Julie Mhaka, Judith Bonongwe and Monica Taruvinga.
Prosecutor Chipo Muvhamba told the court that Chiroroma allegedly used misrepresentation to induce the complainants to part with money and property between May 2025 and February 2026.
In the first count, the State alleges that in February 2026, Chiroroma approached Muskwe and persuaded him to surrender a Hino Ranger truck, registration number AGH 7470.
Muskwe had earlier bought the truck from Chiroroma for US$24,600.
According to the prosecution, Chiroroma told Muskwe that the truck had been awarded a lucrative contract with Delta Beverages and needed to be returned urgently so it could be deployed under the arrangement.
Relying on that assurance, Muskwe handed the vehicle back.
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The court heard that, instead of deploying the truck, Chiroroma allegedly sold it and subsequently went incommunicado.
In separate transactions, the State alleges that between May 2025 and May 2026, Chiroroma received payments from four other complainants after promising to source and import vehicles on their behalf.
The court heard that Mukudoka paid US$4,200, Mhaka US$6,976, Bonongwe US$7,000 and Taruvinga US$5,000.
Prosecutors allege that after collecting the money, Chiroroma failed to import or deliver any of the vehicles and subsequently became unreachable.
The State further told the court that the complainants only discovered Chiroroma's alleged conduct after learning that he had been arrested in connection with other similar fraud allegations.
They then reported their cases to the police, leading to the current charges.
According to the charge sheet, the five complainants suffered a total prejudice of US$47,776.
The court heard that nothing had been recovered at the time of Chiroroma's remand.
Chiroroma was remanded in custody to July 22, 2026, for the continuation of his bail application.
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