Woman loses US$11 700 in fake kombi robbery

A Harare woman, Catherine Manonga (42), was robbed of US$11 700 after falling victim to a carefully orchestrated fake kombi sale in Waterfalls on Monday.

According to reports, Manonga boarded a commuter omnibus at Zindoga Shopping Centre heading into the city centre. The vehicle was occupied by the driver and three other passengers — a woman and two men.

While inside, she admired the kombi's clean interior and expressed interest in purchasing a similar vehicle. One of the men indicated that the vehicle was for sale at US$14 000.

After negotiations, the parties reportedly settled on US$11 000. Manonga then asked the driver to turn back so she could collect the cash from her home in Waterfalls.

She later returned with the money, and the group proceeded towards Eastlea, claiming they would finalise the transaction at their garage.

However, at Athlone Msasa, opposite the Metro Peech turn-off along Mutare Road, one of the suspects pulled out a pistol and ordered her to hand over the cash and her cellphone.

The woman complied and was subsequently forced out of the vehicle, after which the suspects drove off towards the east along Mutare Road.

Luckmore Chakanza, Harare provincial police spokesperson, confirmed the incident and urged members of the public to exercise caution when dealing with strangers, particularly in transactions involving large sums of money.

"Police are investigating an armed robbery case in Waterfalls. A woman was duped into a fake car sale deal. Total value stolen is US$11 700," he said.

Authorities have warned the public to avoid carrying large amounts of cash and to conduct transactions in secure, verifiable environments to reduce the risk of falling victim to similar scams.