The Sunday News
Richard Muponde Sunday News Correspondent
A BULAWAYO City Council employee has been arraigned before the court for duping a prospective stand owner of $8 700 on the pretext that he was selling a stand in Mahatshula North.
Owen Nyoni (55) of Selbourne Park who is employed at Tower Block as an acting administration assistant was not formally charged with fraud when he briefly appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Mr Tawanda Muchemwa recently.
He was remanded out of custody on $100 bail. Charges against Nyoni are that on 5 November he placed an advert in the Press that a stand was being sold in Mahatshula North and included his cellphone numbers.
The complainant, Jabulane Zenga, got interested in the stand and phoned Nyoni’s numbers.
Nyoni allegedly directed him to his workplace at office Number 306 Tower Block where he introduced himself as the housing officer for Mahatshula.
Nyoni also allegedly told the complainant that he was also responsible for the issuance of title deeds when in fact he was an acting administration assistant. He allegedly told Zenga that his sister was selling the stand number 490 Mahatshula North and showed him the file for that stand stating that he had checked all the paper work and everything was in order.
Nyoni allegedly went on to charge Zenga $9 000 for the purchase of the stand which was negotiated to $ 8 500.
He then advised Zenga that he was calling his sister so that all paperwork pertaining to the purchase of the stand be done.
The court heard that he called a certain woman identified as Samkelisiwe Mhlanga who came to his office and she was introduced to Zenga as the sister who owned the stand. Nyoni led Zenga and Mhlanga to Dorchester House where an agreement of sale was drafted and Zenga produced his original identity card while Mhlanga produced a photocopy.
Zenga impressed on Mhlanga to produce her original identity card but Nyoni allegedly interjected and told him that everything was in order and further stated that she will bring her original ID.
The following day, Zenga was accompanied to the bank by Nyoni and Mhlanga where he withdrew $8 500 and they went to Tower Block.
While in the office, Nyoni allegedly received the money from Zenga and took his share and handed the remainder to Mhlanga.
Nyoni, it is alleged, received another $200 from Zenga as a token of appreciation for facilitating the sale of the stand and an agreement of sale was then signed by the parties.
Nyoni allegedly signed as a witness and Zenga went away.
Later in the day, Zenga went to house number 620 Cowdray Park an address which was given as that of Mhlanga who sold him the stand.
He was shocked to receive the news that no such person resided at that address, leading in him discovering that he had been duped. He reported the matter to the police leading to Nyoni’s arrest and the recovery of $1 100.
