Serial fraudster case postponed

News
THE case of a Bulawayo suspected serial fraudster facing 11 counts of defrauding several city residents of over $300 000 has been further postponed as the State is still building its case.

THE case of a Bulawayo suspected serial fraudster facing 11 counts of defrauding several city residents of over $300 000 has been further postponed as the State is still building its case.

BY SILAS NKALA

Abraham Kesari Ndlovu (66) was not asked to plead to the charges when he appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Tinashe Tashaya on Monday and the matter was remanded to January 11.

He is out of custody on $200 bail.

Ndlovu of Richmond suburb was arrested after a dramatic chase when one of his victims spotted him in the city centre.

He reportedly jumped from his car and fled into a house where he hid in a wardrobe.

The accused allegedly left the wardrobe as police closed in and fell while jumping over a security wall. Ndlovu sustained injuries during the fall and was admitted to hospital under police guard.

The court heard that Ndlovu would allegedly collect money from unsuspecting clients and sell houses without owners’ approval before disappearing.

Sometime in October 2010, Patrick Sigauke was looking for business premises to buy when he met Ndlovu who said he had several properties on sale in Bulawayo.

He took him around to view the alleged properties. Sigauke showed interest in Stand 132 along Jason Moyo Street whose value Ndlovu had pegged at $61 000. Sigauke managed to pay $34 000 in instalments and gave Ndlovu his Isuzu vehicle with an agreed value of $19 000.

Sigauke later discovered the property belonged to Labeo Management Services, and not Ndlovu.

In another case, Bonani Mathuthu lost $11 500 to Ndlovu under similar circumstances after he purported to be selling a house in Emganwini which belonged to someone else.

Sometime in August 2011, Ndlovu allegedly approached Michel Stephen van Rooyen saying he was in a position to swap his Jaguar XJ6 with the latter’s Mazda 626, Ford Mercury and a caravan. Rooyen gave Ndlovu three vehicles and was given the Jaguar XJ6.

Rooyen later discovered that the registration number AAT 0672 which was affixed on the Jaguar was for a Ford Huskey. Van Rooyen suffered prejudice of $7 000 and nothing was recovered.

Ndlovu also allegedly defrauded an 81-year-old Hillside man, Richard Wilson, of his house after telling him that he could secure a loan for him, prompting Wilson to hand over his title deeds.

Sometime in June 2011, Ndlovu told Wilson that he was in a position to secure a loan of $10 000 for him.

As a result, Wilson gave over the title deeds for his Hillside house to Ndlovu as surety. Ndlovu went on to sell the house without Wilson’s consent for $80 000. Wilson was defrauded of his house worth $200 000 and nothing was recovered.

Using the same modus operandi, Ndlovu continued defrauding residents of cash and vehicles until August 2015 when his luck ran out. Others who were defrauded are Maritha Peresu Scott who lost $7 000, Dennis Shoko who lost $3 000 in a vehicle deal,Adolf Sindile Ndlovu who lost $4 125, Sinistah Sibanda who lost $1 650 and Ezeri Tima who lost $3 500 all in vehicle deals with Ndlovu.