News / National
Aspiring Zimbabwean nurses lose US$8,000 to bogus employment agencies
24 Jan 2024 at 19:29hrs | Views
Eight aspiring nurses were allegedly conned of over US$8,000 by bogus employment agencies they engaged to assist them with securing vacancies at Sally Mugabe Hospital, a Harare court heard Tuesday.
Effort Chirandata, 45, and Martha Chitumba, 54, appeared before magistrate Dennis Mangosi charged with fraud. They were not asked to plead.
Chitumba was remanded in custody pending a bail hearing while Chirandata was granted US$100 bail.
The State, represented by Rufaro Chonzi, is alleging that Chitumba and Chirandata worked together to dupe Shyline Mandipasa, Victoria Sale, Faith Wachekwa, Rudo Chaya, Memory Khumbula, Tungamirirai Ndangurwa, Bright Dhanda and Mica Masokovere out of a combined US$7,780.
It is alleged that to accomplish their mission, Chirandata would lure the unsuspecting clients and refer them to Chitumba as the link who could help them secure a trainee vacancy at the hospital.
"Between January 1, 2023, and August 30, 2023, the accused (Chirandata) approached and convinced clients that she had a friend who had a link and capacity to facilitate enrolment of student nurse trainees at Harare Hospital upon payment of US$1,000," Chonzi told the court.
"She supplied accused two's NetOne cell number to clients and whoever called her she would just confirm that the deal was genuine.
"The complainants who were in desperate need of the job and some even paying for their children made payments of various amounts of money ranging from US$350 to US$1,000.
"Money was paid through accused one who would then meet and share the loot with accused two (Chitumba).
"To keep full control of the project, accused one opened and administrated a WhatsApp group using her daughter Lissa Chirandata's account, into which she incorporated all her victims.
"Chirandata guaranteed the victims automatic entry with no interviews. She further supplied through the WhatsApp group accused two's cell number for inquiries."
It is alleged that on January 6, Chirandata allegedly sent a message on the WhatsApp group advising her clients to proceed to Harare Hospital on January 8, 2024, and told them that Chitumba would give them their offer letters to commence training.
However, when the complainants arrived at Harare Hospital, Chitumba was reportedly nowhere to be found.
The complainants then tried to contact her and but the only explanation that Chitumba gave was that there were some challenges that had caused her to fail to meet up.
She later became evasive, prompting the eight to report the matter.
Effort Chirandata, 45, and Martha Chitumba, 54, appeared before magistrate Dennis Mangosi charged with fraud. They were not asked to plead.
Chitumba was remanded in custody pending a bail hearing while Chirandata was granted US$100 bail.
The State, represented by Rufaro Chonzi, is alleging that Chitumba and Chirandata worked together to dupe Shyline Mandipasa, Victoria Sale, Faith Wachekwa, Rudo Chaya, Memory Khumbula, Tungamirirai Ndangurwa, Bright Dhanda and Mica Masokovere out of a combined US$7,780.
It is alleged that to accomplish their mission, Chirandata would lure the unsuspecting clients and refer them to Chitumba as the link who could help them secure a trainee vacancy at the hospital.
"Between January 1, 2023, and August 30, 2023, the accused (Chirandata) approached and convinced clients that she had a friend who had a link and capacity to facilitate enrolment of student nurse trainees at Harare Hospital upon payment of US$1,000," Chonzi told the court.
"She supplied accused two's NetOne cell number to clients and whoever called her she would just confirm that the deal was genuine.
"The complainants who were in desperate need of the job and some even paying for their children made payments of various amounts of money ranging from US$350 to US$1,000.
"Money was paid through accused one who would then meet and share the loot with accused two (Chitumba).
"To keep full control of the project, accused one opened and administrated a WhatsApp group using her daughter Lissa Chirandata's account, into which she incorporated all her victims.
"Chirandata guaranteed the victims automatic entry with no interviews. She further supplied through the WhatsApp group accused two's cell number for inquiries."
It is alleged that on January 6, Chirandata allegedly sent a message on the WhatsApp group advising her clients to proceed to Harare Hospital on January 8, 2024, and told them that Chitumba would give them their offer letters to commence training.
However, when the complainants arrived at Harare Hospital, Chitumba was reportedly nowhere to be found.
The complainants then tried to contact her and but the only explanation that Chitumba gave was that there were some challenges that had caused her to fail to meet up.
She later became evasive, prompting the eight to report the matter.
Source - ZimLive
