A 51-year-old woman from Harare, Doreen Mandivenga, appeared in court on February 14 facing serious charges of defrauding her niece, Peacemaker Nyevero Makuve, of US$350,000 through a fraudulent investment scheme.
Mandivenga, a resident of Sentosa, was arrested on February 12 and has been remanded in custody. Her bail ruling is set for February 17.
The case, as presented by State prosecutor Mr. Anesu Chirenje, reveals that Mandivenga allegedly convinced Makuve, a 39-year-old construction business director, to invest in what she claimed was a highly lucrative, risk-free opportunity.
According to Mandivenga, the scheme promised a guaranteed minimum return of 4 percent. The scam reportedly ran from May 2023 until September 2024, during which Makuve entrusted her aunt with a total of US$350,000.
In an attempt to give the scheme an air of legitimacy, Mandivenga issued promissory notes to Makuve as proof of her investment and even paid her a total of US$110,000 in interest. This was done to maintain the illusion of a successful business operation, keeping Makuve’s confidence in the scheme.
However, when Makuve sought further returns or attempted to withdraw her initial investment, Mandivenga became increasingly evasive and uncooperative.
Despite repeated efforts to recover her funds, Makuve’s attempts failed, prompting her to report the matter to the police.
The court also heard that Mandivenga was not working alone; she allegedly had an accomplice, Jesman Chonzi, who has yet to be apprehended. Authorities have confirmed that, as of now, no funds have been recovered from the fraudulent scheme.
Mandivenga now faces serious legal consequences as the investigation continues.
For comments, Feedback and Opinions do get in touch with our editor on WhatsApp: +44 7949 297606.