Pyramid scheme busted
Tarisai Machakaire
STAFF WRITER
©️ TWO brothers who allegedly duped people through a mobile money pyramid scheme have been busted.
Romeo, 25, and Tinashe Samhungu, 29, of Helensvale, Harare, appeared in court on Tuesday before Harare magistrate Barbra Mateko charged with fraud and were released on $500 bail each. The case was remanded to July 20.
However, prosecutor Lancelot Mutsokoti advised the court that the duo was on wanted lists of five police stations on similar charges.
Mutsokoti had initially opposed granting of bail to the Samhungu brothers, arguing they were habitual offenders and had a propensity to re-offend. He said they committed the latest offence while on bail for another fraud case.
The State alleged that one of the complainants, Gina Makosa, saw a social media advertisement and contacted the Samhungu brothers who told her she could earn a 100 percent interest if she deposited money in a mobile merchant code.
Makosa got interested and deposited $33 000 into the merchant code before being promised the full amount and profit the following day.
However, after the Samhungus failed to meet their part of the deal, Makosa tried to no avail to contact the two.
It was alleged that they switched off their cellphones and later blocked the merchant line.1
Investigations established that the duo conducted illegal foreign currency deals using proceeds of the crime.
They were later traced and arrested and nothing was recovered.
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