SA based Chinese national duped Norton tile manufacturer of R2,6m

A South Africa based suspected fraudster duped Zimbabwe tile manufacturer Sunny Yifeng Tiles of 2, 67 million Rands in a botched tile supply deal.

Hu Dong was trapped inside Sunny Yi Feng Tiles Zimbabwe premises in Norton on Wednesday where he tried to flee the room during the night by joining bed linen sheets before he was arrested by alert security guards.

Dong appeared before magistrate Marehwanazvo Gofa charged with fraud.

He was remanded in custody for bail application.

The complainant is Sunny Yi Feng Tiles Zimbabwe, Norton and is being represented by its Superviser Wang Xiang.

Allegations are that on June 17 last year Dong came to Zimbabwe and misrepresented to complainant that he had the capacity to pay for some floor tiles equivalent to the valve of R 1 007 224-00 and was given the tiles in question which were delivered to an unknown destination in South Africa.

lt is alleged that Dong then sent a fake proof of payment to the complainant purporting that he had transferred R 1 007 224-00 from his South African Standard Bank account 0000010138909S88 into complainant’s Ecobank account number 5712000013149.

The state alleges that on 24 August 2022 accused used a similar method of operation and was given some floor tiles equivalent to the value of R 649 952-00 which he delivered again to an unknown destination in South Africa.

lt is alleged that he again sent a fake proof of payment to the complainant purporting that he had transferred R 649 952-00 from his South African Standard Bank account 0000010138909588 into complainant’s Ecobank account number 5712000013149.

On 28 November 2022 accused used a similar method of operation and was given some floor tiles equivalent to the value of R1 019 884-54 which he delivered to unknown destination in South Africa and he once again sent a fake proof of payment to the complainant purporting that he had transferred R1 019 884-54 from his South African Standard Bank account 0000010138909588 into complainant’s Ecobank account number 5712000013149.

lt is alleged that on On 17 October 2023 the accused went to Complainant’s premises intending to use similar tactic and ordered some floor tiles to the equivalent value of US$45 000,00 and complainant had already discovered that the accused had used fake proof of payments.

When the accused was confronted about the issue he promised to address the issue and was offered accommodation at the company premises.

ln a bid to escape from the company premises the accused joined some sheets from the first floor building where he was accommodated and attempted to escape through the window but was arrested by alert security guards after a struggle as he was very aggressive to the security personnel.

The complainant then filed a police report at Norton Police Station and handed over the accused to ZRP Norton.

Accused prejudiced complainant a total of ZAR 2 677 060-54 and nothing wos recovered.