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Crime Reporter
Harare miller Wayne Moss (46), the managing director of Mr Brands, and another local company director were recently arrested on allegations of duping a city businessman of US$25 000 cash after misrepresenting to him that they had off-shore free funds in the United Kingdom.

Moss, who is jointly charged with Kudakwashe Gambanga (35), a director of Avanteguard (Pvt) Ltd, yesterday appeared at the Mbare Magistrates’ Court on fraud charges and the two were remanded out of custody to September 3.

They are alleged to have connived to defraud the businessman of the money by manufacturing fake proof of payments. The State alleged that Moss approached the businessman and introduced Gambanga in absentia, claiming that he was in urgent need of the money to pay lobola for his fiancée, Pride Gono of Borrowdale, but could not access his free funds in cash.

He further suggested that Gambanga was offering to meet any foreign obligations for anyone, who could give him the US$25 000.

The unsuspecting businessman is reported to have believed him and offered to assist on condition that Moss should present him with a proof of transfer for the money into his bank account in the United Arab Emirates.

According to the State, Moss later emailed the businessman a fictitious proof of payment for the transfer of the money from a United Kingdom Metro Bank account into the alleged victim’s bank account.

The businessman then released the money in batches of US$4 000 and US$21 000 to Moss.

However, the money never reflected in the businessman’s account prompting him to make a follow up with Moss, who then gave him Gambanga’s contact details. But the businessman allegedly failed to recover his money so he reported the deal to the police leading to the arrest of Moss and Gambanga.
Mr Zebediah Bofu prosecuted.