Aspiring nurse loses $300 to con-artists

Tendai Rupapa Senior Court Reporter
Aspiring nurses could have lost thousands of dollars to three suspected fraudsters who flighted advertisements on social media, saying they could facilitate enrolment at Chitungwiza Central Hospital.

The Harare Magistrates’ Court heard yesterday that one such aspiring nurse, Trish Taruwona, lost $300 to Brian Mutowo and Ellaiah and Tariro Hamandishe.

Taruwona had been advised to pay $600 as processing fee for her to get a nursing post at Chitungwiza Central Hospital, the State alleged.

She subsequently paid $300 as part payment, but nothing materialised. Mutowo (24) and Ellaiah (50) appeared in court charged with fraud, while Tariro is still at large.

Prosecutor Mr Sebastian Mutizirwa alleged that sometime in February, the trio, in connivance, allegedly circulated messages via WhatsApp platform to the effect that they were offering nursing training vacancies at Chitungwiza Central Hospital.

They supplied their phone numbers so that interested candidates would get in touch with them for further information. It is the State’s case that after seeing the advert, Taruwona contacted Tariro who informed her that to get a place, she was to pay a processing fee of $600.

On March 3, Taruwona met Mutowo and Tariro at Kaguvi Building and she made the part payment of $300.

She also gave them her certificates and other relevant documents. It is alleged that Taruwona was then advised that she would get her confirmation letter after paying the balance and that she would collect it at Kaguvi Building.

Three days later, Taruwona met the accused persons and asked about her confirmation letter. They maintained that it would be available after full payment.

It is the State’s case that Taruwona then requested for a written affidavit, with the gang acknowledging receipt of the part payment. To cover their tracks, Tariro prepared an “affidavit” and gave it to Taruwona.

The following day, Tariro advised Taruwona that her confirmation letter was ready, the court heard. She then sent an image of the said letter to Taruwona through WhatsApp, but since Taruwona was out of Harare, she advised Tariro to hand it over to her father-in-law, Mr Peter Muchakaza.

It is the State’s case that Taruwona forwarded the image to Mr Muchakaza who then proceeded to Chitungwiza Central Hospital to verify the authenticity of the document.

He was informed that it was fake. On March 11, the gang met with Mr Muchakaza intending to collect their balance as well as giving him the confirmation letter, it is alleged.

Mr Muchakaza then apprehended Tariro and advised her that he was taking her to the police station. On the way, Tariro and Mutowo sweet-talked Mr Muchakaza and apologised for their actions.

They said they were going to refund Taruwona, before writing a fake affidavit giving Mr Muchakaza assurance that they were going to pay the money, the court heard.

After some days, Mr Muchakaza contacted Mutowo and Ellaiah and was told to look for Tariro on the pretext that she had the money. Mr Muchakaza then discovered that he had been duped and made a report to the police.

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