Gold buyer loses US$45k to fake gold dealers
A HARARE businessman was allegedly duped of US$45 000 after being sold fake gold.
Three men — Stephen Mhumbwe, Louis Mudzongo and Mike Tafira — appeared before Harare magistrate Mr Dennis Mangosi on Thurday and were remanded out of custody to June 2. It is the State’s case that the trio connived and duped businessman only identified as Mr Mashiri who is a registered gold buyer and sold him what later turned out to be fake gold.
It is alleged that Mudzongo was approached by Tafira who told him that he had some people selling gold in Ngezi and were looking for a buyer. Mudzongo reportedly engaged Mhumbwe to look for a buyer. Mhumbwe allegedly approached Mr Mashiri and convinced him that he had a brother, Mudzongo, who was selling gold and Mashiri got interested
It is the State’s case that Mashiri was later linked to a person only known as Mashonganyika who was reported to have the gold.
Mhumbwe accompanied Mr Mashiri to meet Mashonganyika who was in the company of one Jena and T-One where the transaction was conducted after Mashiri was convinced that it was genuine and paid US$45 000 through Mhumbwe.
Later on, Mashiri discovered that it was not gold and that he had been defrauded prompting him to make a police report.
No recoveries were made as the trio became evasive.
Lancelot Mutsokoti prosecuted.