A SUSPECTED fraudster was last week arrested for stealing cellphones from women at Zimbabwe Manpower Development Fund (Zimdef) offices in Harare pretending to have connections to facilitate educational vacancies for them before texting their relatives using the phones to send money to a number he provided.
Kudakwashe Mubewa would allegedly pretend to be the women and ask for money from their relatives.
He was charged with three counts of fraud when he appeared before Harare magistrate Denis Mangosi.
Allegations are that on June 9 at Zimdef, Mubewa stole a cellphone from one Patience Dobbe after he had misrepresented that he could facilitate a teaching position for her.
He is said to have asked to use her cellphone to make a call before disappearing and sending messages to her relative to send money.
The court heard that a total of $31 000 was sent to a number he provided purporting to be the lady.
Further allegations are that on the same day, Mabewa also stole a cellphone from one Eunice Mupanje at Joina City after misrepresenting that he wanted to buy her food.
He allegedly asked to use her cellphone to buy using mobile money and he disappeared with it.
Allegations are that he went on to send messages to the woman’s relatives asking for money, who then sent him a total of $138 250 to a number he provided.
The court heard that on June 20 at Zimdef, Mabuwa allegedly stole a cellphone from one Kimberly Mpofu after misrepresenting that he could facilitate for her to get a university place.
He allegedly asked to use her cellphone and disappeared and went on to send messages to her relatives asking for money purporting to be her.
Three relatives reportedly responded to the messages and sent $38 000 to a number he provided.
This led to his arrest and appearance in court and according to the State, the complainants positively identified him as the person who stole from them.