Woman impersonate Econet, to defraud unsuspecting clients

A woman has been dragged to court for impersonating Econet and allegedly defrauding an unsuspecting client who paid a total of $38 which was meant for purchasing two solar lights and mobile phone.

Violet Ntini (39) of Cowdray Park pleaded not guilty to fraud when she appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Merilyn Mutshina on Thursday. The magistrate remanded her to next week for trial.

Prosecutor Kudakwashe Jaravaza told the court that on February 12 this year at 5pm Ntini was at corner Fort Street and 11th Avenue in Bulawayo where she met the complainant Martin Mkhwebu (42) of Mpopoma.

Ntini introduced herself as Virginia and told him that she was employed by Econet to sell solar lights with hand sets of $15.

She allegedly convinced him to buy two lights and was given $20 cash.

She was promised that the balance would be paid through Ecocash. On February 20 Mkhwebu sent the balance through Ecocash to her mobile line before he could go to Econet to confirm if Ntini was their employee. This was after Ntini had called him telling him that she has received the money and she was attending to a funeral in Nkayi on the day.

Mkhwebu was told that the account number which he sent the money to did not belong to a person employed by the company. He reported the matter leading to Ntini's arrest.

The total cash defrauded is $38 and it was recovered.