News / Local
Pensioner loses $200 to feja feja 
04 Feb 2011 at 09:35hrs | Views
A PENSIONER from Nkayi lost close to US$200 in broad day light yesterday in Bulawayo's City centre to 'feja feja conmen' who have resurfaced in town after years in hibernation.
This incident took place outside a clothing shop along Herbert Chitepo Street.
Two of the conmen were however nabbed by the police in civilian clothes.
According to a vendor who witnessed the gullible old man losing his hard earned money to the daring tricksters, the pensioner had just collected his monthly pension from a bank when he met his fate.
"This old man was passing by when he saw the conmen. He stopped to watch what was happening before one of them called him to come closer," said the vendor who identified himself self as Ernest.
The vendor said that the old man was wood winked to play the feja feja when he saw one of the men 'winning' unaware that this was being stage managed.
"He failed to realise that one of the people who was winning was part of the gang when he tried his luck," said Ernest.
The witness said that initially the old man was made to win twice before he lost every cent that he had.
"The old man was almost in tears when he lost his money to the gang and the scene almost turned into a fistfight after he tried to get a refund but was told to disappear if he wanted to be alive," the witness said.
One of the vendors said that the old man then went away before police came to arrest the gang.
There was commotion when police wrestled to arrest the culprits much to the excitement of some passersbys.
"They should go and rot in jail. We don't want these thieves who always want to reap other people's sweat," shouted one passerby to arrest the gang.There was commotion when police wrestled to arrest the culprits much to the excitement of some passersbys.
"They should go and rot in jail. We don't want these thieves who always want to reap other people's sweat," shouted one passerby.
This incident took place outside a clothing shop along Herbert Chitepo Street.
Two of the conmen were however nabbed by the police in civilian clothes.
According to a vendor who witnessed the gullible old man losing his hard earned money to the daring tricksters, the pensioner had just collected his monthly pension from a bank when he met his fate.
"This old man was passing by when he saw the conmen. He stopped to watch what was happening before one of them called him to come closer," said the vendor who identified himself self as Ernest.
The vendor said that the old man was wood winked to play the feja feja when he saw one of the men 'winning' unaware that this was being stage managed.
"He failed to realise that one of the people who was winning was part of the gang when he tried his luck," said Ernest.
The witness said that initially the old man was made to win twice before he lost every cent that he had.
"The old man was almost in tears when he lost his money to the gang and the scene almost turned into a fistfight after he tried to get a refund but was told to disappear if he wanted to be alive," the witness said.
One of the vendors said that the old man then went away before police came to arrest the gang.
There was commotion when police wrestled to arrest the culprits much to the excitement of some passersbys.
"They should go and rot in jail. We don't want these thieves who always want to reap other people's sweat," shouted one passerby to arrest the gang.There was commotion when police wrestled to arrest the culprits much to the excitement of some passersbys.
"They should go and rot in jail. We don't want these thieves who always want to reap other people's sweat," shouted one passerby.
Source - B-Metro
