A CHINESE national, who allegedly duped his countryman of US$200 000 in a botched mining deal, has appeared in court.
Harare magistrate Lynne Chizhou granted Pei Renjian US$500 bail, along with conditions.
The State alleged that between April and July this year, Pei connived with Liu Jianlu, who is still at large, to misrepresent to the complainant that they had documents to mine in Angwa River in Karoi.
It is alleged that on June 16, 2025, the accused persons made the complainant to pay RMB50 000 (US$1:RMB7) on four occasions being part of a deposit.
He paid the deposit via WeChat, a Chinese “super-app” that integrates messaging, social media and various services like payment, shopping and news into a single platform.
The complainant allegedly paid the money to Pei.
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On the same day, the complainant also paid US$40 000 to the accused persons at their place of residence in Greystone Park, Harare.
According to court documents, on June 17, the complainant paid RMB100 000.
The next day, he paid RMB50 050, RMB50 000 and RMB4 004 through WeChat.
“On July 14, 2025, the complainant paid RMB150 000. On July 15, 2025, he paid RMB50 000. On July 19, 2025, he paid RMB13 806. All this money was paid through WeChat,” the State alleges.
The court heard that the accused further misrepresented that he had bought an excavator with complainant's money yet he had hired it.
The complainant went on to fund the purchase a Toyota Hilux double cab vehicle valued US$12 000, a heavy-duty 50-horse power generator valued at US$60 000, heavy-duty water pump and separation machine both valued at US$50 000.
The suspects told the complainant that they had a borehole drilled at a cost of US$13 000.
According to the State, RMB617 860, which is equivalent to US$87 268,36, plus US$40 000 in cash and property worth US$135 000 gives a total prejudice of US$262 268,36 and nothing was recovered.
Lancelot Mutsokoti represented the State.