Man loses US$4 000 in UK job facilitation scam

Nessel warns residents about imposter scams

Michael Mashiri

A Marimba man who defrauded US$4 000 claiming that he was in a position to help in the facilitation of a Certificate of Sponsorship to the complainant who wanted to go to the UK appeared in court.

Tadiwanashe Themba Ndhlovu, 21, was before magistrate Dennis Mangosi at the Harare Magistrates' Court accused of fraud.

The complainant in the matter is Bethuel Shelton Rundofa of Mainway Meadows, Waterfalls, Harare.

The State, through prosecutor Zororai Nkomo, alleges that on December 18, 2022, Rundofa received a message link on a Whatsapp group named UK Sponsorship that Ndlovu was in a position to process Certificates of Sponsorships.

Rundofa became interested and contacted Ndlovu on his mobile phone number and he confirmed that he was agent who could facilitate Certificate of Sponsorships to people who wanted to go to United Kingdom.

On December 20, 2022, Rundofa made an appointment with Ndhlovu and they met at corner Third Street and Central Avenue, Harare.

They entered into a certain office and Ndhlovu explained that if Rundofa paid an amount of US$4 000, the process would take only two weeks for a Certificate of Sponsorship to be processed.

On December 21, 2022, Rundofa went Ndhlovu's office and paid cash US$4 000 to him who then ordered his friend, one Gerald Pondai, to write an affidavit and signed it.

After a period of two weeks, Rundofa contacted Ndhlovu who started changing goal posts.

He became evasive and that prompted Rundofa to make a police report.

The total value that Ndhlovu defrauded was US$4 000 and nothing was recovered.

Mangosi ordered Ndhlovu to appear in court on June 26 for a trial date. He was instructed to pay a ZWL$300 000 as bail recognisance.

He will report once every Friday at CCD until his matter is finalised.