Bulawayo woman in court for forgery, fraud

A 44-year-old Bulawayo City Council employee, Sithabisiwe Ncube, has been arraigned before Bulawayo Regional Magistrate Collet Ncube, facing two counts of forgery and fraud. She was remanded out of custody to appear again on October 17.

Ncube is accused of forging an acknowledgement of debt and using it to obtain a court order against a United Kingdom-based man, Timothy Moyo (61). Prosecutors allege that on October 13, 2023, Ncube created a document claiming Moyo owed her US$16,000, when the actual debt was US$6,000, and allegedly forged his signature. The forged document was then submitted to the Bulawayo Civil Magistrates Court on September 2, 2024, under case number CG352/24. The court subsequently issued an order in her favour, resulting in the attachment of Moyo's property, including a Mercedes-Benz E220 belonging to his wife, valued at around US$30,000.

The State contends that Ncube's actions were unlawful and caused Moyo to suffer a financial loss of US$30,000, with no recovery made. A police report was filed, leading to Ncube's arrest.

Speaking in her defence, lawyer Tinashe Tashaya of Tashaya Law Chambers said Ncube was wrongly accused, insisting the matter arose from a genuine financial arrangement between Ncube and Moyo. Tashaya stated that Ncube lent Moyo money and created a WhatsApp group including Moyo and his wife to discuss repayment terms.

"Ncube will tell the court that this was not fraud but an arrangement between two parties," Tashaya said, noting that the discussions were documented in 14 pages of WhatsApp messages and a five-page repayment outline. He also insisted that Ncube did not forge Moyo's signature and that the document was genuine, with Moyo having offered to surrender his Mercedes-Benz and pay off the remaining balance.

The court will continue hearing the matter when Ncube returns on October 17.