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Yeukai Karengezeka Court Correspondent

A suspected fraudster yesterday appeared in court for allegedly resisting arrest by striking a police officer with a hoe on the head.

Brighton Majukwa (36) appeared before Harare magistrate Mr Dennis Mangosi charged with attempted murder and fraud.

He was remanded in custody.

The State alleged that on April 14, in Waterfalls, Majukwa turned violent against the complainant who is a police officer who was part of the team that went to his house to arrest him.

They wanted to arrest him in connection with a fraud case when he struck the complainant on the head with a metal hoe and escaped.

Majukwa had allegedly duped businessman, Ross Grantly Wallbridge, the director of fuel-broking firm Hiddingland Enterprises, by posing as Weston Mukundwa.

He claimed he could facilitate the purchase of bulk fuel from Southern Bitumen and convinced Wallbridge that he could get 250 000 litres of diesel weekly at US$1.60 per litre for a facilitation fee of US$2 500.

Wallbridge transferred the facilitation fees to two different bank accounts belonging to Talent Gangarahwe, which Majukwa had given him.

Majukwa later convinced Wallbridge to increase the fees to US$3 800, but never delivered the fuel.

He later told Wallbridge that Mukundwa had died in an accident and his number became unreachable.

Majukwa used similar tactics to defraud a second complainant of US$1 200.