Harare businessman Energy Mutodi conned $13k in vehicle import scam

Harare businessman Energy Mutodi, has been conned $13 000 by a Harare woman he engaged as a vehicle import clearing agent.

Memory Kashangura, 42, of Mabvuku, appeared before Harare magistrate Victoria Mashamba yesterday facing charges of fraud as defined in the Criminal Law Codification and Reform Act.

She was remanded in custody to Monday for bail consideration.

Allegations are that sometime in 2010, Mutodi imported Volkswagen buses from South Africa that were on temporary permit.

The temporary permits later expired and the complainant approached the accused person who was a vehicle registration agent in order to register his buses.

The accused person then charged Mutodi $13 000 for both buses with Kashangura stating some of the money was for payment of import duty.

Kashangura went on to produce counterfeit and fraudulent registration books and converted the money to personal use, it is alleged.

The court heard that checks were later done at Zimra and they confirmed that the two buses did not pay import duty. — Farayi Machamire