(Last Updated on January 22, 2016 by Editor)
ZIMBABWE – A Harare man, Tonderai Chitsinde allegedly masqueraded as Mashonaland Central traditional leader, Chief Negomo, born Luscious Chitsinde and swindled home seekers and a bank after promising to offer them residential land.
Chitsinde (38) of 24 Scot Close, Hatfield reportedly misrepresented to the home seekers that he was Chief Negomo and made them to pay various amounts on the pretext he was able to allocate land to them.
Chitsinde yesterday appeared before Mr Elijah Makomo charged with fraud and was remanded to today for bail ruling.
He is being represented by Mr Peter Kumbawa of C Nhemwa and Associates.
The prosecutor Mr Sebastian Mutizirwa alleged that sometime in 2013, Chitsinde misrepresented to more than 10 people in Harare that he was Chief Negomo of Chiweshe.
He received cash amounting to $7 000 from them and promised to allocate land to them which he never did and disappeared.
In another case, sometime during the same year, Chitsinde was in a love relationship with the late Domitilia Tinacho, the court heard.
On November 26, Tinacho was involved in a road accident and she suffered a major stroke and was admitted at United Bulawayo Hospital.
In December, Chitsinde became aware that Tinacho held a Kingdom unit trust account with Afrasia Bank.
He hatched a plan to defraud Tinacho and proceeded to Afrasia Bank.
Armed with an affidavit purporting to be Chief Negomo customarily married to Tinacho, he misrepresented to the bank’s officials that he was Tinacho’s husband and wanted to withdraw $4 000 to cover for her medical bills.
Acting on the misrepresentation, the bank transferred the requested money into his account held at Kingdom Bank.
Chitsinde allegedly converted the money to his own use.
The offence came to light after Tinacho passed away and her brother was appointed as the administrator of her estate.
He discovered that Tinacho’s money had been stolen prompting him to make a report to the police. Investigations led to Chitsinde’s arrest.