Fake minerals dealer arrested

A SUSPECTED Dangamvura criminal who posed as a Mozambican diamond and gold dealer, but ended up stealing cash and an assortment of valuables from unsuspecting residents was arrested and locked up in remand prison.

The suspect Hebert Mutambikwa (35) worked in connivance with Benjamin Simango, who has since been declared a fugitive from justice.

Mutambikwa pleaded guilty to one of the three fraud charges he was facing when he appeared before Mutare magistrate Miss Perseverance Makala on last Thursday.

He was expected back in the dock for the other two counts he pleaded not guilty to, yesterday. He was remanded in custody after the State successfully opposed bail saying he was a flight risk.

“He is likely to not stand trial and abscond. He also has the propensity to continue committing similar offences. He is also not a first offender,” said Miss Perseverance Musukuto during prosecution.

Allegations were that Mutambikwa misrepresented to a number of people that he was a foreign gold and diamond dealer.

He allegedly lied to the victims that he could not count bond notes and therefore needed their help before stealing from them.

“On October 12, 2018 Stanford Warinda withdrew $100 from his bank after which Mutambikwa and his fugitive friend approached him pretending to be foreigners. They purported that they were gold dealers and therefore needed him to assist to count the bond notes they had been given as they were unable to do so.

“In return Warinda was promised $80. They proceeded to the POSB building where they advised the complainant to surrender his satchel which contained the $100 which he had just withdrawn from his bank and his cellphone. They then directed him to sell the gold at POSB.

“On his way to POSB, Warinda unwrapped the plastic which contained the purported ‘gold’ and discovered that there was no gold but stones.

‘‘He then returned to the place he had left the two suspects with his bag but they were nowhere to be found,” said Miss Musukuto.

In another incident Mutambikwa allegedly approached Devine Chinyayi and lied that he was a foreigner who was selling diamonds and second hand cloth bales.

The two suspects allegedly used the same trick and vanished with Chinyayi’s $78 and two cell phones valued at $328.

As if that was not enough, the pair also tricked Nicholas Zikuyuwo into believing that they were foreigners selling minerals. They stole his $155 and nothing was recovered.

Mutambikwa was eventually arrested after the complainants identified his picture at the police station. He was apprehended at a bus stop in Sakubva.