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Prosper Dembedza Court Correspondent

A 20-year-old Zambian ritualist has appeared in court on allegations of defrauding an unsuspecting man of his US$74 000 after misrepresenting to him that it was payment to facilitate US$20 million which he had received on his behalf from his ancestors.

Daniel Epic Kato was facing fraud charges when he appeared in court before Harare magistrate Mrs Yeukai Dzuda, who remanded him in custody.

The court heard that on March 2, Kato, Mugabi and Kimbungwe hatched a plan to defraud the complainant and disguised as ritualists.

They called the complainant Mr Graham Mutero and told him that his ancestors wanted to bless him with US$20 million.

Kato, Mugabi and Kimbungwe showed the complainant the money, which was stashed in a suitcase which they said was the US$20 million his ancestors wanted them to give to him.

According to the complainant’s statement he said the accused persons went on to ask him to just randomly pick US$300 from the trunk and advised him to go and spend it as proof that it was indeed genuine money.

The complainant took US$300 from the trunk which he spent without any hustles which boosted his confidence.

It is the State’s contention that the trio convinced Mutero to raise US$74 000 so that a ritual could be conducted to access the the US$20 million.

The complainant allegedly sold his property to raise the required money and brought it to the accused persons.

The trio allegedly handed over the trunk to Mutero but as he was about to leave one of them ordered him to conduct a prayer before he left.

During the prayer session one of the accused persons changed the trunks and gave Mutero one full of newspapers.

The matter came to light when Mutero opened the trunk upon arrival at his house when he discovered that it had newspapers.

A report was made leading to Kato’s arrest.

Mugabi and Kimbungwe are still at large.