News / National
Chamisa defrauds client US$6 000 in murky car deal
08 Apr 2022 at 14:12hrs | Views
A KADOMA-based car dealer, Aleck Chamisa (34), was Thursday dragged to court by his estranged lover for defrauding her of over US$6 000 in inflated vehicle price and customs fees.
Kadoma Magistrate, Paul Mudonhi, admitted Chamisa to $15 000 bail, before rolling over the matter to April 20 for routine remand.
He represented by Ignatius Murambasvina of Murambasvina & Associates.
Chamisa is ex-boyfriend to complainant, Colleta Gandidzanwa (45), a businesswoman from Ingezi suburb.
According to a signed affidavit by Gandidzanwa, on October 8, 2021, she engaged the accused person to import a Volkswagen Jetta from BeForward Co. Ltd.
He allegedly selected the car on Be Forward website and told complainant that the purchase price was US$5 100, which he was given, saying he would deposit the cash at FBC Kwekwe.
"Sometime in early November 2021, the accused person advised me that the motor vehicle had arrived in Tanzania and he needed money for customs duty, airflight to Tanzania, Covid-19 test, return fuel, accommodation, his fees, port fees, agent fees and food so that he could fly to Tanzania and drive back with the motor vehicle to Zimbabwe.
"I gave the accused person a total of US$3 000, which was for the above-mentioned expenses, and he flew to Tanzania," stated Gandidzanwa.
The state will allege while the accused person was in Tanzania, he contacted Gandidzanwa and told her that he had exhausted US$3 000 in expenses and requested that she sends him customs duty fees.
On November 28 last year, complainant sent an additional US$2 232 customs fees to Chamisa via Tarhill Send Money.
While now at the Zimbabwean border, the accused person contacted Gandidzanwa and advised her that customs duty was pegged at US$5 650, hence there was need for her to send an additional US$3 550.
Gandidzanwa sent another US$3 400 to the accused person.
Upon arrival, Chamisa advised complainant that he had borrowed US$150 from someone to topup the duty and he was given the US$150.
The fraud came to light during a conversation between Gandidzanwa and her friends, who raised eyebrows over the exorbitant custom duty paid for the VW Jetta.
This prompted her to check with Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) Kadoma officials, who revealed Chamisa only paid customs duty amounting to US$2 647 for the car.
It was further exposed he presented an invoice indicating the car cost US$1 969.
The total value stolen is US$6 133 and nothing was recovered.
Kadoma Magistrate, Paul Mudonhi, admitted Chamisa to $15 000 bail, before rolling over the matter to April 20 for routine remand.
He represented by Ignatius Murambasvina of Murambasvina & Associates.
Chamisa is ex-boyfriend to complainant, Colleta Gandidzanwa (45), a businesswoman from Ingezi suburb.
According to a signed affidavit by Gandidzanwa, on October 8, 2021, she engaged the accused person to import a Volkswagen Jetta from BeForward Co. Ltd.
He allegedly selected the car on Be Forward website and told complainant that the purchase price was US$5 100, which he was given, saying he would deposit the cash at FBC Kwekwe.
"Sometime in early November 2021, the accused person advised me that the motor vehicle had arrived in Tanzania and he needed money for customs duty, airflight to Tanzania, Covid-19 test, return fuel, accommodation, his fees, port fees, agent fees and food so that he could fly to Tanzania and drive back with the motor vehicle to Zimbabwe.
"I gave the accused person a total of US$3 000, which was for the above-mentioned expenses, and he flew to Tanzania," stated Gandidzanwa.
On November 28 last year, complainant sent an additional US$2 232 customs fees to Chamisa via Tarhill Send Money.
While now at the Zimbabwean border, the accused person contacted Gandidzanwa and advised her that customs duty was pegged at US$5 650, hence there was need for her to send an additional US$3 550.
Gandidzanwa sent another US$3 400 to the accused person.
Upon arrival, Chamisa advised complainant that he had borrowed US$150 from someone to topup the duty and he was given the US$150.
The fraud came to light during a conversation between Gandidzanwa and her friends, who raised eyebrows over the exorbitant custom duty paid for the VW Jetta.
This prompted her to check with Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) Kadoma officials, who revealed Chamisa only paid customs duty amounting to US$2 647 for the car.
It was further exposed he presented an invoice indicating the car cost US$1 969.
The total value stolen is US$6 133 and nothing was recovered.
Source - NewZimbabwe
