News / Local
Man spends $6,000 caring for non-existent baby
19 Feb 2016 at 06:14hrs | Views
AN officer with the Air Force of Zimbabwe was allegedly swindled of about $6,000 by his girlfriend after she faked a pregnancy.
Jacqueline Dube, 21, of Figtree, allegedly connived with her mother and brother to dupe her now ex-boyfriend Captain Ncube, 24, of Bulawayo's Pumula suburb.
A court heard how Dube and her family received money for preparation, birth and upkeep of the non-existent baby.
The family allegedly sent pictures of a baby, whose identity was not disclosed in court, to Ncube in China where he was undergoing a course, saying it was his child.
At one time they got R25,000 from the officer which they said was for an emergency operation for the baby.
Bulawayo Magistrate, Sithembiso Ncube, heard how the family demanded that Ncube pay lobola for their daughter before they could show him the baby when he returned from China in January this year.
The soldier, after paying, discovered there was no baby, the court heard.
Dube, who is facing a fraud charge, allegedly used her pregnant cousin's urine to carry out a pregnancy test which she showed Ncube in 2014.
The magistrate did not ask her to plead and remanded her out of custody to February 29 on $100 bail.
Prosecuting, Raymond Makaza told the court that in August 2014, Dube told Ncube that she suspected she was pregnant.
"Accused then went to her cousin who was pregnant at the time and asked for her urine which she used to test for her said pregnancy," said Makaza.
The prosecutor said Ncube left Dube an undisclosed amount of money to look after herself and the unborn child before he left for China.
"Sometime in November 2014, Dube's mother told Ncube that her daughter was in South Africa and that she was really pregnant. Later in March 2015, Ncube received news from Dube's brother, Alfred, that his sister had given birth to a premature baby," said the prosecutor.
"Complainant took full responsibility for everything including the child's hospital bills and from that day he started receiving the baby's photographs."
"In July 2015, the accused informed complainant that the baby had a health condition that needed an operation and that the operation would cost R25,000. The complainant sent $1,900 which at the time was equivalent to R25,000," said the prosecutor.
Makaza said Ncube returned from China in January 2016 and was denied access to the baby.
"When Ncube came back from China, he asked to see the baby but the accused said her parents were insisting he should first pay lobola and wed her before he could see the child," said Makaza.
He said early this month, Ncube and his family went and paid $1,700 lobola to Dube's family but they still insisted he would see the baby after the wedding.
The prosecutor said it was Dube's cousin who revealed that there was no baby.
He said Ncube made a police report after the discovery leading to Dube's arrest.
Jacqueline Dube, 21, of Figtree, allegedly connived with her mother and brother to dupe her now ex-boyfriend Captain Ncube, 24, of Bulawayo's Pumula suburb.
A court heard how Dube and her family received money for preparation, birth and upkeep of the non-existent baby.
The family allegedly sent pictures of a baby, whose identity was not disclosed in court, to Ncube in China where he was undergoing a course, saying it was his child.
At one time they got R25,000 from the officer which they said was for an emergency operation for the baby.
Bulawayo Magistrate, Sithembiso Ncube, heard how the family demanded that Ncube pay lobola for their daughter before they could show him the baby when he returned from China in January this year.
The soldier, after paying, discovered there was no baby, the court heard.
Dube, who is facing a fraud charge, allegedly used her pregnant cousin's urine to carry out a pregnancy test which she showed Ncube in 2014.
The magistrate did not ask her to plead and remanded her out of custody to February 29 on $100 bail.
Prosecuting, Raymond Makaza told the court that in August 2014, Dube told Ncube that she suspected she was pregnant.
The prosecutor said Ncube left Dube an undisclosed amount of money to look after herself and the unborn child before he left for China.
"Sometime in November 2014, Dube's mother told Ncube that her daughter was in South Africa and that she was really pregnant. Later in March 2015, Ncube received news from Dube's brother, Alfred, that his sister had given birth to a premature baby," said the prosecutor.
"Complainant took full responsibility for everything including the child's hospital bills and from that day he started receiving the baby's photographs."
"In July 2015, the accused informed complainant that the baby had a health condition that needed an operation and that the operation would cost R25,000. The complainant sent $1,900 which at the time was equivalent to R25,000," said the prosecutor.
Makaza said Ncube returned from China in January 2016 and was denied access to the baby.
"When Ncube came back from China, he asked to see the baby but the accused said her parents were insisting he should first pay lobola and wed her before he could see the child," said Makaza.
He said early this month, Ncube and his family went and paid $1,700 lobola to Dube's family but they still insisted he would see the baby after the wedding.
The prosecutor said it was Dube's cousin who revealed that there was no baby.
He said Ncube made a police report after the discovery leading to Dube's arrest.
Source - chronicle
