Talent Gore
A HARARE man has been charged with fraud after allegedly running a bogus fuel business and duping an unsuspecting man of US$36 000.
Tinashe Nyasha Makoni appeared before Harare Magistrate Dennis Mangosi who granted him US$300 bail.
Allegations are that on January 26, the complainant saw a message in a WhatsApp group advertising fuel for sale.
He responded and indicated that he was interested in buying 35000 litres of diesel for his client Raymond Mazodze.
Makoni indicated that he could supply the order and instructed the complainant to give him the truck details.
The complainant later revised his order to 25000 litres and was charged US$36500.
He made the payment of US$36500 to Makoni and was issued with a document which was said to be the release document for the fuel in question.
The complainant sent the document to his client so that he would collect the fuel from the National Oil Infrastructure Company (NOIC).
However, when Mazodze went to collect the fuel, he was advised that the release document was fake.
Efforts to locate Makoni since then were fruitless.