The Sunday News
Precious Maphosa, Sunday News Reporter
A WOMAN from Bulawayo has appeared in court for allegedly defrauding a colleague who was based in the diaspora of US$40 000 after she duped him to pay for a property when in fact she was converting the money to her own use.
Yvonne Sakala (59) from Montrose suburb allegedly masqueraded as overseer of a certain family trust which sells several properties and defrauded Mr Gordon Virimai of
US$41 870. Sakala appeared last week before Bulawayo magistrate Ms Sithembiso Ncube facing charges of fraud as defined in Section 136 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act Chapter 9:23.
She was released on $300 bail and will appear in court on 29 March for trial.
Prosecuting, Ms Constance Mathaba told the court that the two knew each other not only in connection with this case but Mr Virimai knew Sakala as a bank manager at MBCA since he used to do some electrical work at the same bank. Sometime in 2007 Mr Virimai left Zimbabwe for Australia where he settled with his family and while he was there he maintained contact with Sakala.
The court heard that Sakala allegedly called Virimai advising him that she had been appointed an overseer of a certain trust in which several properties were for sale.
Ms Mathaba also said Sakala allegedly lied to Mr Virimai that she had been given first preference to purchase the properties but had no money.
She then extended the offer to Mr Virimai and advised him to send the money to her so she could purchase the property for him. The court heard that Mr Virimai went on to pay amounts towards the purchase of the said property and fees for capital gains for change of ownership of the said property.
However, instead of paying the money, Sakala converted all the money for her own use.
The matter came to fore when Mr Virimai returned to Zimbabwe and found no property.
The court heard that by means of this misrepresentation Mr Virimai suffered an actual prejudice of US$41 870.
