An assistant operations manager at Real Star Security Company has appeared in court on allegations of lying that his wife is a colonel in the Ministry of Defence attached to ZIMRA before defrauding an unsuspecting complainant of US$11 750.
Stephen Charakupa (44) was facing two counts of theft of trust property and fraud when he appeared before Harare magistrate Mrs Ruth Moyo on Tuesday.
His wife was picked up by police on the same allegations yesterday and the two are expected in court today for bail application.
It is the State’s case that between November 16 last year and January this year, the accused connived with his wife to defraud the company after learning that it was acquiring a fleet of motor vehicles from South Africa.
He then approached the general manager and indicated that he could facilitate the purchase of a Nissan NP300 at a lower price than the company could.
Charakupa allegedly misrepresented that his wife Anymore Mauru was employed by the Ministry of Defence as a Colonel, and was attached to ZIMRA Beitbridge.
The company was convinced and entrusted the accused to purchase the motor vehicle acting in connivance with his wife. He was given US$10 250 cash but it is alleged that the couple converted the money into their own use.
On another count, he misrepresented to the complainant that there was a sale of 21ha of farming land in Banket with allocation on payment of US$1 500.
The couple claimed they had connections in the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, and that she could help in the purchase of the land.
The complainant gave the couple US$1 500 for the purchase of the land.
The complainant was promised the offer letter in January but the accused failed to provide the offer letter within the agreed time.
The complainant discovered that he was duped after he approached the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development for clarity and was told that the couple had no capacity to act on behalf of the Ministry.
The complainant reported the matter to the police leading to the arrest of Charakupa.
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