News / National
Parliament hopeful jailed for conning residents
13 Apr 2019 at 13:11hrs | Views
A GWANDA Central parliamentary candidate for the Zimbabwe Partnership for Prosperity (ZIPP) in last year's elections has been sentenced to 18 months in prison for conning residents of about RTGS $800.
Jackson Lunga of Spitzkop North suburb collected the money from five people after offering them houses which did not belong to him to rent.
He was convicted on his own plea of guilty to five counts of fraud when he appeared before Gwanda magistrate, Mrs Nomagugu Ncube. Lunga was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment of which four months were suspended on condition that he does not commit a similar offence within the next five years.
Five months were further suspended on condition that he performs 175 hours of community service at Gwanda Urban Police Station. The remaining nine months were further suspended on condition that he pays $824 restitution to the complainants.
Prosecuting, Miss Faith Mutukwa said between July 27 last year and March 6 this year, Lunga collected money from five people that were looking for houses to rent. "On 27 July Ms Sinenkosi Mikazhu sent a message on AmaJahunda Whatsapp Group indicating that she was looking for a house to rent.
Lunga responded on the group and said he had a house that was for rent and claimed the house belonged to him. Ms Mikazhu paid $160 through EcoCash to Lunga and went to clean the house in preparation to move in.
"The caretaker of the house heard that there was someone at the house and went to check and found Ms Mikazhu. The two realised Lunga had conned Ms Mikazhu. On 2 February Mr Velile Moyo posted on the same Whatsapp group that he was looking for a house to rent and Lunga responded and said he had a house. Mr Moyo paid him $125 EcoCash for the house and later realised that he had been conned," she said.
Miss Mutukwa said on March 3 Mr Jobe Mabhena posted on the same group looking a house to rent and paid $140 to Lunga. She said Mr Mabhena later learnt that the house did not belong to Lunga and that he had conned him.
She said on March 6 Mr Ephraim Moyo posted on the same Whatsapp group looking for a house to rent and paid $179 to Lunga and later realised he had been conned.
Miss Mutukwa said on March 10 Ms Sikhulile Moyo posted on the group looking for a house to rent and paid $220 to Lunga. She said the complainants reported the matter to the police who carried out investigations resulting in Lunga's arrest.
Jackson Lunga of Spitzkop North suburb collected the money from five people after offering them houses which did not belong to him to rent.
He was convicted on his own plea of guilty to five counts of fraud when he appeared before Gwanda magistrate, Mrs Nomagugu Ncube. Lunga was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment of which four months were suspended on condition that he does not commit a similar offence within the next five years.
Five months were further suspended on condition that he performs 175 hours of community service at Gwanda Urban Police Station. The remaining nine months were further suspended on condition that he pays $824 restitution to the complainants.
Prosecuting, Miss Faith Mutukwa said between July 27 last year and March 6 this year, Lunga collected money from five people that were looking for houses to rent. "On 27 July Ms Sinenkosi Mikazhu sent a message on AmaJahunda Whatsapp Group indicating that she was looking for a house to rent.
"The caretaker of the house heard that there was someone at the house and went to check and found Ms Mikazhu. The two realised Lunga had conned Ms Mikazhu. On 2 February Mr Velile Moyo posted on the same Whatsapp group that he was looking for a house to rent and Lunga responded and said he had a house. Mr Moyo paid him $125 EcoCash for the house and later realised that he had been conned," she said.
Miss Mutukwa said on March 3 Mr Jobe Mabhena posted on the same group looking a house to rent and paid $140 to Lunga. She said Mr Mabhena later learnt that the house did not belong to Lunga and that he had conned him.
She said on March 6 Mr Ephraim Moyo posted on the same Whatsapp group looking for a house to rent and paid $179 to Lunga and later realised he had been conned.
Miss Mutukwa said on March 10 Ms Sikhulile Moyo posted on the group looking for a house to rent and paid $220 to Lunga. She said the complainants reported the matter to the police who carried out investigations resulting in Lunga's arrest.
Source - chronicle
