A 30-YEAR-OLD Marondera man who masqueraded as a Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) agent before duping a farmer of more than $2 000 yesterday appeared before Marondera Magistarte Timeon Makunde facing fraud charges.
by Jairos Saunyama
Mark Andrew James Scott was brought to court after Rodney Commack (53) accused him of misrepresenting himself as a Zimra official and disappearing with his money that was meant to clear his value-added tax (VAT) debts.
The matter was postponed to next Wednesday.
According to court papers, on the morning of an unknown date but in June 2013, the accused person, who was acting as an agent of Zimra, called the complainant on his mobile number indicating that he had VAT penalty that was due to be paid to Zimra amounting to $2 800.
The complainant, who was at his farm on the day, drove to Marondera Town where he met the accused person at Charlesdale Service Station.
The complainant gave the accused person $2 800 after agreeing that he would pay the VAT on his behalf.
The following day, Commack sought for his receipts from the accused as proof of payment at Zimra, but could not locate him.
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When Commack contacted the accused person on his mobile number, Scott told him that all was in place and ordered the complainant to meet him at the service station, but did not turn up.
Efforts by Commack to have receipts as proof of payment proved fruitless prompting him to make a follow up at Zimra offices in Harare where he discovered that Scott had only paid $26.
The complainant, however, engaged his lawyer identified as Mufuka who contacted the accused person who accepted that he did not pay the money.
Scott went on to promise the complainant that he would make a payment plan of $500 per month for the next six months to no avail.
Commack reported the matter to police and the value of the stolen money $2 774 and only $26 was recovered.
Paul Chiwesi prosecuted.
