SA-based Zimbabwean woman uses WhatsApp to steal

A ZIMBABWEAN woman working in South Africa swindled a businesswoman of nearly $3 000 via a social media platform WhatsApp, a Harare magistrate heard yesterday. Lorrine Chanengeta (26) of Glen View 7 in Harare appeared before Harare magistrate Mr Vakayi Chikwekwe charged with fraud. She was granted $200 bail and remanded to next Tuesday for trial.

The complainant in the matter is director for Prolific Boreholes (Pvt) Ltd located at No. 165 Harare Drive, Marlborough. The prosecutor Mr Sebastian Mutizirwa alleged that on March 8 this year, Chanengeta purported to be in the United States of America on a WhatsApp group, where she befriended the complainant.

She used a different name, LelainAmani Slim Chiwenga, using a South African line 0027635249084. It is alleged that on March 10 this year, the complainant asked for Chanengeta's help to buy a Samsung Edge 7 and a Louis Vuitton designer bag valued at $2 200.

Chanengeta agreed and told the complainant the Samsung handset was valued at $950. She allegedly supplied the complainant with her boyfriend Happyson Makomeya's CABS bank account number 9014411265. The complainant deposited the money in the account. The money was sent to Chanengeta.

Chanengeta confirmed receiving the money and sent pictures of the hand bag and cellphone to the complainant. It is alleged that complainant checked Chanengeta's WhatsApp status and saw that she was last seen on March 19 and had stopped using the South African number.

After realising that she had been duped, she reported the matter to the police on March 29. On May 1, Chanengeta was arrested in Gweru. The complainant lost $3 150.