E-creator directors' case rolled over to Tuesday

These people were pictured waiting to enter the courthouse at Harare Magistrates' Courts today. Most of them wanted to hear the outcome of the E-creator directors' case

The bail continuation for E-creator director, Zhao Jiaotong, and his two co-accused has been rolled over to tomorrow at 11:15am at the Harare magistrates’ courts.

Magistrate Marehwanazvo Gofa is presiding over the matter in which Pardon Dziva is standing for the State.

Earlier scheduled to have appeared in Court 14 earlier in the morning, the case was first stood down to 2:25pm and, subsequently, moved over to tomorrow.

The hearing today attracted a full house with some occupants believed to be victims of the ponzi scheme attending to hear the outcome.

Jiaotong, has since secured an interpreter whose name could not be established at the time of going to press, as he had earlier requested since he said he does not understand English.

The second and third accused persons acknowledged that they were instrumental in helping establish the scheme, E-creator, and that they were directors.

During cross examination, the investigating officer, Brighton Samaneka of the Commercial Crime Division of the ZRP opposed bail, arguing that if allowed to attend court from home, the accused may not be safe.

E Creator was registered on February 7 and the subscribers to the scheme realized that they had been scammed on July 5.

Jiaotong was arrested on July 7, five days after the collapse of the scheme and two co-directors who he appeared in court with – Tryamore Tapfumanei, 32 and Justin Kuchekenya, were also later apprehended.

Approximately plus five more co-accused persons are still at large and the exact amount of the scammed money is yet to be ascertained.

The victims sent their money through Ecocash to plus or minus 50 numbers which were operated by Tapfumanei and the gadgets were seized four days ago pending investigations.