E-Creator director granted bail

Michael Mashiri

Zim Now Correspondent

One of the directors of the infamous E-Creator, an entity that was once topical a few months ago for allegedly defrauding over US$1 million from people, has been granted US$1 000 bail.

Trymore Tapfumaneyi appeared at the Harare Magistrates’ Courts before magistrate Donald Ndirowei, who gave him bail under changed circumstances.

He has been on remand for around seven months.

Zhao Jiaotong, and other directors Justin Kuchekenya and another are still in custody pending trial.

The other accused persons intend to also apply for bail under changed circumstances tomorrow.

The State alleges that in January 2023, Zhao created an online investment Ponzi scheme called E-creator.

The court heard that on February 7, together with Tapfumaneyi, Justin Kuchekenya, Bily Thomas Syedou, Abraham Mutambu, and others who are still at large, Zhao registered a company with the Zimbabwean Registrar of Companies styled E-Creator Electronic Commence Private Limited under company registration number 2853/23, with its offices in room 15 and 16 on the 10th Floor of Joina City Building, Harare.

It is alleged that Zhao went on to launch the company as an online e-commerce operator.

Between February and July this year, he allegedly lied to unsuspecting people that if they invested with the company, they would enjoy huge monthly profits depending on the amount invested.

Many people invested money into the company and some invested up to US$1 000 through EcoCash numbers supplied on the platform by Zhao.

To make the company more attractive and appealing to unsuspecting people, Zhao used the media, including the national television broadcaster ZTV, social media and Zimbabwean socialites Tarisai Cleopatra Munetsiwa, also known as Madam Boss, and Admire Mushambi, also known as Mama Vee, to advertise the company business on their social media platforms in order to gain more subscribers.

The company employed various agents in major towns throughout the country in order to market the business.

On July 3, some of the complainants encountered challenges in accessing their funds and approached the company for clarifications.

Mutambu assured the complainants that the problems they were encountering were a result of a system upgrade that was preventing them from accessing the funds.

He told them that the situation would normalise in due course.

On July 5, the complainants were tongue tied to realise that E-Creator Electronic Commerce Private Limited had sent a notice on its website that it was no longer operating.

A passport-size photo of Zhao was posted on the website with a message that he was the one who took the complainants’ money and fled to China.

The complainants also visited Zhao’s known offices and found that they had been permanently closed and there were no signs of business operations.

Furthermore, they got information that Zhao had actually withdrawn the money and fled.

As a result, the complainants lost an actual prejudice of around US$1 million and nothing has been recovered.