By NQOBANI NDLOVU
A ZANU PF Bulawayo youth, Blessed Mushando (27), was on Tuesday granted ZWL$300 bail following his arrest on charges of duping a Priscilla Ncube of US$12 000 after falsely claiming to be linked to President Emmerson Mnangagwa and that he would assist her reclaim her mine.
Ncube had been forced off her Shangani mine by three Kwekwe con-artists claiming to be Central Intelligence Organisation operatives when Mushando showed up offering to assist her reclaim her business.
Mushando, who was once arrested on similar charges in 2017, is accused of duping the woman of US$12 000 after he allegedly told her that he was linked to Mnangagwa and could liaise with his office to secure her mining interests. The incident took place on March 24.
Ncube only realised that she had been duped after Mushando failed to deliver on his promises to reclaim her mining business, leading to her making a police report.
He was arrested on Saturday last week during a dawn raid at his residence in a joint operation by members of the Criminal Investigations Department from Harare and Bulawayo.
On Tuesday, he appeared before magistrate Franklin Mkhwananzi who remanded the matter to June 18 for trial.
Mushando was ordered to report once a week every Friday at Bulawayo Central Police Station.
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Meanwhile, the Kwekwe youths, who had grabbed Ncube’s mine after purporting to be intelligence operatives, also appeared before the same magistrate, where they were granted ZWL$100 bail.
The youths, who also belong to Zanu PF, face charges of impersonating a public officer in violation of section 179(1) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act.
They are expected back in court on July 8 for trial.
