Man defrauding ex-girlfriend of US$28,000 in stand deal

A man who allegedly defrauded his former girlfriend of US$28,000 in a failed residential stand transaction appeared in court yesterday, facing fraud charges.

The accused, Thomas Jemuse, an operations manager at Plan B Motor Spares (Private) Limited, was remanded in custody by Harare magistrate Mr. Sheunesu Matova until today for a bail ruling.

According to court documents, the case dates back to September 2022, when Jemuse reportedly deceived the complainant, with whom he was in a romantic relationship, by claiming he had a 500-square-metre residential stand for sale in Hogerty Hill, Borrowdale, Harare.

Initially, the property was priced at US$30,000 before negotiations brought the amount down to US$28,000. Trusting her boyfriend at the time, the woman did not verify the ownership details and proceeded to make full payment, expecting an agreement of sale as promised by Jemuse.

However, after receiving the money, Jemuse allegedly became evasive, cutting off communication with the woman. Her numerous attempts to reach him were unsuccessful, prompting her to file a police report when it became apparent that she had been duped.

The prosecution asserts that Jemuse's misrepresentation resulted in the complainant suffering a financial loss of US$28,000, with no refund or transfer of the property materializing.

The matter remains before the court, with further developments expected following the bail ruling today.