Bogus travel agent nabbed

UNSUSPECTING people desperately seeking to travel to the Diaspora in search of greener pastures are falling victims to a syndicate of bogus travel agents that are swindling them of their hard earned money, and a suspect Bridget Mugunha of Rusape was arrested for fleecing a job seeker US$2 500.

Magunha (26), of Tsanzaguru in Rusape, allegedly misled Bruce Gwangwara into believing that she had secured him a work permit at a company in Poland, and demanded 500 for the said services.

Magunha, who was represented by Mr Munyaradzi Manyengavana, of Manyengavana Law Chambers, was not asked to plead when she appeared before magistrate, Mrs Patience Chirimo, who granted her bail with reporting conditions.

Prosecutor, Mr Takunda Muzenda said Magunha informed Gwangwara that she had sorted all his papers, and advised him to proceed to the Polish Embassy in Pretoria, South Africa where it emerged that the papers were counterfeit.

“The accused is a self-styled travel agent based in Rusape, and on a date unknown to the prosecutor, but between November and December 2023, she misrepresented to Gwangwara that she could facilitate a work permit and travel documents for him to travel to Poland.

“Magunha charged Gwangwara

US$2 500 for the job. The accused took the US$2 500, and gave the complainant some documents purporting that it was a work permit for him to obtain a visa to travel to Poland.

“Gwangwara travelled to the Polish Embassy in Pretoria in a bid to get the visa, only to be told that his documents were fake and his application was declined.

“Copies of the alleged work permit with the particulars of a Polish employer and the name of the complainant as employee given to the complainant by the accused person is available as evidence. Value of the cash defrauded is 500, and nothing was recovered,” said Mr Muzenda.

The matter was adjourned to April 22 for trial.