2 Bulawayo men were arrested for defrauding a Chinese man using Vice President Kempo Mohadi’s name, The Sunday Mail reports.
Unemployed thirty six year old Mthunzi Mabhena and twenty eight year old Blessed Mushando reportedly impersonated VP Mohadi’s son and secretary respectively and collected various sums of money from Cheng Minghua, between October 2018 and March 2019 while promising to arrange mining deals for him.
The lengthy charge sheet prepared by the prosecution seen by the publication reads:
Sometime in October 2018, Cheng was introduced by his friend Ming Kutsoko and former business partner to the accused.
After the meeting, Mabhena and Mushando allegedly hatched a plan to defraud Cheng and arranged for a business meeting with him at Holiday Inn in Harare.
During the meeting and pursuant to their plan, the accused misrepresented to the complainant that all rivers in Zimbabwe are administered and managed in the office of VP Mohadi adding that the same office was responsible for approvals of foreign investors to mine alluvial gold.
In April 2019 Mushando falsely indicated to Cheng that VP Mohadi had a problem with his cattle at his farm and needed US$8 000.
Pursuant to their plan, Mabhena then contacted Cheng indicating that he is VP Mohadi’s son and further reiterated on the aforementioned problem that indeed the VP had encountered a problem with his cattle at the farm which required US$8000.
Cheng asserted that Mabhena should come to collect the said amount since he no longer trusted Mushando. However, Mabhena indicated that he was at the Harare International Airport on his way to South Africa and insisted that the complainant should give the money to Mushando. The complainant then handed over the US$8 000 to Mushando.
On a separate occasion, Mabhena and Mushando deceived Cheng that he should meet VP Mohadi for him to be granted mining certificates for most of the rivers nationwide. The duo demanded a total of US$20 000 solely meant for the VP as engagement and facilitation fee.
