The Sunday News
Charleen Ndlovu, Sunday News Reporter
A MAN from Chitungwiza allegedly swindled a private company of goods worth more than $2 000 through an e-mail scam and forged bank account.
Hamilton Keswa (43) who allegedly illicitly operated in disguise as Allan Matare to carry out his scam appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Ms Adelaide Mbeure facing charges of fraud.
Prosecuting, Mr Charles Danda said on 11 December 2015 at about 7AM, Siphathisiwe Ncube (45) who is an employee at Nicele Private Limited situated along Josiah Tongogara and 14th Avenue in Bulawayo received a call from Keswa who identified himself as Matare stating that he wanted a quotation for stock feed.
“The accused person called the complainant, Siphathisiwe Ncube using cell number 0718 192921 and stated he wanted a quotation for stock feed. The accused person requested a quotation for 20-50kilogrammes of broiler starter crumbles, 30-50kgs of broiler grower pellets and 30- 50kgs of broiler finisher pellets,” said Mr Danda.
He said that Keswa told Ncube that he would send the quotation through his e-mail address which read [email protected].
Keswa is said to have called Ncube again and asked for the company’s bank details through a text message. The court heard that through his calculated plan Keswa hired someone to deliver a TT (telegraphic transfer) as proof of payment for the goods just minutes before the shop was about to close and requested that he be receipted.
Further, Mr Danda said that Keswa called Ncube again and told her that he was not sure when exactly he would be collecting the stock feed.
However, Keswa called again later and told Ncube that his truck had had a break down along Plumtree Road and advised Ncube that he would be coming to collect the stock feed on the next morning.
Mr Danda also said that the accused then went on to hire a truck to collect the goods on the following morning and when the driver was asked to leave behind his number and name he said that they use those listed on the company documents.
He said Ncube discovered that she had been defrauded on 17 December 2015 when she made a follow up with her bank, NMB where she found out that the transfer had not gone through.
“When Ncube further verified with Barclays Belmont which was the origin place of the transfer she was told that the transfer was not theirs and that is when she realised that she had been defrauded,” said Mr Danda.
Mr Danda said that by means of this misrepresentation Ncube suffered an actual prejudice of $2 460.
Ms Mbeure remanded Keswa in custody to 28 September for trial.
