News / National
State makes U-turn in Mnangagwa name-dropping con-artist
27 Jul 2021 at 07:24hrs | Views
THE State yesterday made a U-turn and filed an application for the revocation of its consent after it allowed bail to a 33-year-old Harare con-artist who dropped President Emmerson Mnangagwa's name in a fraud case involving close to half a million United States dollars.
The woman, Eustine Charambira (33), duped a Harare man Erasmus Chimbumu of US$488 000 in a mining chemical deal.
She had promised to pay her victim US$1 million from a deal that she claimed involved Mnangagwa and some unnamed army generals.
Magistrate Dennis Mangosi, who presided over the case, heard that Charambira had a previous conviction where she used the same modus operandi.
This was after the State consented to $50 000 bail. Mangosi also demanded that she surrenders title deeds of her property since the amount involved was huge, but the accused failed to produce surety of the property valued at US$60 000.
Mangosi will rule on the application today.
Allegations are that last October, Charambira was approached by Chimbumu, who wanted to buy mining chemicals.
The complainant was referred to her by one of his suppliers, Ragu Sivaragas. Charambira told the complainant that she had a company that imported chemicals from the United Kingdom through Durban, South Africa.
It is alleged that the complainant told the accused person that he only had local currency to pay for the chemicals.
Charambira then told him that her company only sold the chemicals in United States dollars, and advised him to send the money in local currency to various bank accounts and suppliers, who would change the money into US dollars on the black market.
It is alleged that from October to December 2020, the complainant sent money to various accounts supplied by Charambira and was promised that he would get his chemicals by January 2021.
However, she later said the money had been stolen after failing to meet the deadline.
The complainant allegedly reported the matter at Borrowdale Police Station and she was summoned.
She told the police that the person that stole the money would pay back by April this year.
She also claimed that she was expecting US$1 million from an investor based in the United Kingdom in a deal that involved Mnangagwa and some army generals.
Charambira asked for US$100 000 to charter a private jet for the investor in the UK to Zimbabwe so that he could bring the US$1 million.
The complainant allegedly sent US$50 000 to Charambira through Sivaragas, but he later established that there was no investor that was brought into the country from the UK, and that her money was never stolen.
The State alleges that the accused person prejudiced the complainant of US$488 000 and nothing was recovered.
The woman, Eustine Charambira (33), duped a Harare man Erasmus Chimbumu of US$488 000 in a mining chemical deal.
She had promised to pay her victim US$1 million from a deal that she claimed involved Mnangagwa and some unnamed army generals.
Magistrate Dennis Mangosi, who presided over the case, heard that Charambira had a previous conviction where she used the same modus operandi.
This was after the State consented to $50 000 bail. Mangosi also demanded that she surrenders title deeds of her property since the amount involved was huge, but the accused failed to produce surety of the property valued at US$60 000.
Mangosi will rule on the application today.
Allegations are that last October, Charambira was approached by Chimbumu, who wanted to buy mining chemicals.
The complainant was referred to her by one of his suppliers, Ragu Sivaragas. Charambira told the complainant that she had a company that imported chemicals from the United Kingdom through Durban, South Africa.
It is alleged that the complainant told the accused person that he only had local currency to pay for the chemicals.
Charambira then told him that her company only sold the chemicals in United States dollars, and advised him to send the money in local currency to various bank accounts and suppliers, who would change the money into US dollars on the black market.
It is alleged that from October to December 2020, the complainant sent money to various accounts supplied by Charambira and was promised that he would get his chemicals by January 2021.
However, she later said the money had been stolen after failing to meet the deadline.
The complainant allegedly reported the matter at Borrowdale Police Station and she was summoned.
She told the police that the person that stole the money would pay back by April this year.
She also claimed that she was expecting US$1 million from an investor based in the United Kingdom in a deal that involved Mnangagwa and some army generals.
Charambira asked for US$100 000 to charter a private jet for the investor in the UK to Zimbabwe so that he could bring the US$1 million.
The complainant allegedly sent US$50 000 to Charambira through Sivaragas, but he later established that there was no investor that was brought into the country from the UK, and that her money was never stolen.
The State alleges that the accused person prejudiced the complainant of US$488 000 and nothing was recovered.
Source - newsday
