Suspected fraudsters hit cement dealer for seven truckloads of cement

A cement dealer lost more than 4000 bags of cement after he was duped by two suspected fraudsters who lured him into delivering his cement after being promised cash on delivery before they sent him a fake bank transfer.

Blessing Mangwiro (51) and Samson Mutereko (56) appeared before Harare magistrate Dennis Mangosi charged with fraud.

The duo were remanded in custody to Friday (today) for bail ruling.

Allegations are that on November 14, this year Mangwiro and Mutereko and their accomplices Phineas Chamunorwa and March Masiye who are still at large approached the complainant with the intention of defrauding him and requested to be supplied with 7 truckloads of Dangote cement which is about 50kgX 4400 bags of cement.

It is alleged that on November 15, the complainant supplied the accused persons with 5 truckloads of Dangote cement which is about 50kgX 3000 bags of cement after all accused persons had misrepresented to the complainant that they were going to pay him US$46,500.00 soon after they made deliveries.

The complainant requested payment from the accused persons and all accused persons told him that they had already deposited the money in his bank account.

The complainant requested the balance from his bank account and discovered that nothing was deposited.

It is alleged that the accused persons switched off their cell phones and on November 19, complainant received information to the effect that the accused persons sold all the cement with a value of US$11-00 per bag instead of $15-00 per bag and he realized that he had been defrauded.

The state alleges all the accused persons are known by the complainant and there is communication between the two parties.

The state further alleged that there are witnesses to testify against all accused persons who saw them selling the stolen cement. There is also communication in the form of messages indicating that payment is outstanding.

The accused persons then stole an occurrence book from security guards in an effort to conceal evidence and there are witnesses to that effect.