A 25-year-old Harare man who masqueraded as a Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) operative and defrauded a car dealer of two vehicles valued at $15 500 has been arrested and charged with impersonation and theft.
Ryane Nyakasaka appeared before regional magistrate Fadzai Mthombeni yesterday and was remanded in custody to today for bail consideration while the trial date has been set for March 20.
Nyakasaka is accused of conning the car dealer after misrepresenting that the President’s Office wanted to buy the vehicles for its staff.
The State case is that in October last year, Augustine Nyoni, a car dealer, ran an advert to the effect that he was selling a Mazda B300 pick up truck. He also advised his younger brother Carlos that he was selling the vehicle.
Carlos reportedly introduced him to Nyakasaka, who allegedly masqueraded as a CIO operative at the President’s Office and told him that their office wanted to buy vehicles for its staff.
It is alleged that Nyoni gave Nyakasaka his vehicle after the later had said it should first undergo assessment at the Central Mechanical Equipment Department (CMED) before the sale could be effected.
Nyakasaka allegedly told Nyoni payments would be made after the vehicle passed certain standards at CMED and then asked for his bank account details for the payment to be deposited into the account.
Two days later, Nyakasaka allegedly met Nyoni and requested another vehicle, a VW Polo, claiming he wanted to use it just for one day but he subsequently disappeared with the car.
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Nyakasaka is alleged to have abandoned the Mazda in Waterfalls and Nyoni’s efforts to recover the vehicles failed as the accused told him the vehicles were locked up at State House.
Nyakasaka allegedly sold the VW Polo to one Obey Mapiki after using fraudulent means to acquire a duplicate registration book.
It was not stated in court how Nyakasaka was eventually arrested. Both vehicles were recovered. Sidwell Chinzete prosecuted.
