Chiwenga duped into buying fake gold for US$24,000

A gold buyer who punished a Chinhoyi couple for selling him fake gold worth US$24,000 will spend Christmas behind bars after he was arrested for taking the law into his hands in revenge.

Donald Chiwenga (45) is accused of holding hostage Eric Marangarire and Mercy Maphosa after establishing they had sold him 480 grams of fake gold.

Court heard he also forcibly took the couple's four vehicles to make up for what they had done to him.

Chiwenga appeared before Harare Magistrate Dennis Mangosi and was remanded in custody to January 21 next year.

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) alleges Chiwenga purchased 480 grams of fake gold worth US$24,000 from Marangarire and Maphosa.

Court heard he only realised it was fake when he was smelting it in Kwekwe.

Infuriated by this, Chiwenga planned a pay back by putting the law into his own hands.

He allegedly the couple held hostage and forced them to sign agreements of sale of their four vehicles to his name in the presence of a lawyer.

The cars include a Mercedes Benz, Honda Fit, Toyota Hilux and Toyota Corolla.