News / Local
BCC 'debt collector' arrested
27 Jul 2013 at 05:15hrs | Views
POLICE have arrested a man who was masquerading as a debt collector in a case likely to unearth a massive scam at the Bulawayo City Council as the man was allegedly working in cahoots with senior officials from the local authority.
Richard Ndlovu (47), of Block 95/7850 Mpopoma appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Mr Abednico Ndebele yesterday facing a charge of fraud.
He is also facing another charge of violating the Immigration Act as he is suspected to be a South African because he holds the neighbouring country's identity documents.
He was not asked to plead and was remanded in custody to Monday for a possible start of trial.
There are indications that Ndlovu, who is not employed, was moving around business premises in the city centre collecting outstanding debts from ratepayers and would inflate figures, allegedly in cahoots with a senior council official.
Ndlovu is being represented by Mr Dumisani Dube of Cheda and Partners and there are indications that he has offered to name the council official in court.
The State case as presented by Mr Malvern Nzombe is that between January this year and last month, Ndlovu was collecting money from a businessman, Mr Ismail M Esat, the director of M and A Upholstery.
It is alleged that he told him that he had been sent by the council to collect outstanding debts on its behalf.
Ndlovu allegedly produced a document showing Mr Esat's council account number 81413213 and told him that he owed the local authority about $14 500.
The court was told that Mr Esat told him to come and collect the money on a later date.
On 17 January, Ndlovu was allegedly given $500 and he issued Mr East with a receipt, whose number is 192.
The court was told that on 29 January, Ndlovu went to Mr East's business premises with a statement for the period 2009 to December 2012 indicating that he owed $15 000.
It is alleged that Mr Esat queried why the $500 he had paid was not reflecting on the statement and was told that it would only reflect once he paid a substantial amount.
On 28 February, he was given $250 and on 8 March and 21 March he was paid $100 respectively.
The court was told that Ndlovu went to Mr Esat on numerous occasions where he was paid different amounts of money and would sometimes not issue a receipt but make him sign in his personal diary.
Mr Esat suspected that he was being duped when he saw that the money he had paid was not reflecting on the statements and went to the council to inquire.
The court was told that the council officials denied ever sending a debt collector to him and a trap was set on Ndlovu leading to his arrest.
The total amount defrauded by Ndlovu was $2 050 and nothing was recovered.
Richard Ndlovu (47), of Block 95/7850 Mpopoma appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Mr Abednico Ndebele yesterday facing a charge of fraud.
He is also facing another charge of violating the Immigration Act as he is suspected to be a South African because he holds the neighbouring country's identity documents.
He was not asked to plead and was remanded in custody to Monday for a possible start of trial.
There are indications that Ndlovu, who is not employed, was moving around business premises in the city centre collecting outstanding debts from ratepayers and would inflate figures, allegedly in cahoots with a senior council official.
Ndlovu is being represented by Mr Dumisani Dube of Cheda and Partners and there are indications that he has offered to name the council official in court.
The State case as presented by Mr Malvern Nzombe is that between January this year and last month, Ndlovu was collecting money from a businessman, Mr Ismail M Esat, the director of M and A Upholstery.
It is alleged that he told him that he had been sent by the council to collect outstanding debts on its behalf.
Ndlovu allegedly produced a document showing Mr Esat's council account number 81413213 and told him that he owed the local authority about $14 500.
The court was told that Mr Esat told him to come and collect the money on a later date.
On 17 January, Ndlovu was allegedly given $500 and he issued Mr East with a receipt, whose number is 192.
The court was told that on 29 January, Ndlovu went to Mr East's business premises with a statement for the period 2009 to December 2012 indicating that he owed $15 000.
It is alleged that Mr Esat queried why the $500 he had paid was not reflecting on the statement and was told that it would only reflect once he paid a substantial amount.
On 28 February, he was given $250 and on 8 March and 21 March he was paid $100 respectively.
The court was told that Ndlovu went to Mr Esat on numerous occasions where he was paid different amounts of money and would sometimes not issue a receipt but make him sign in his personal diary.
Mr Esat suspected that he was being duped when he saw that the money he had paid was not reflecting on the statements and went to the council to inquire.
The court was told that the council officials denied ever sending a debt collector to him and a trap was set on Ndlovu leading to his arrest.
The total amount defrauded by Ndlovu was $2 050 and nothing was recovered.
Source - chronilce
