A BULAWAYO fraudster, who fleeced prominent city lawyer, James Mutsauki and nine other residents after promising to help them buy impounded vehicles from the Vehicle Inspection Department (VID) at lower prices, has been ordered to perform 210 of community service at Sauerston Police Station.
BY SILAS NKALA
Chris Micho Dube (33) had masqueraded as a VID official and collected a total of $3 116 from the victims on the pretext he would assist them buy auctioned vehicles at the depot and acquire provisional licences for them.
Dube pleaded guilty to nine counts of bribery and denied one count, when he appeared before Bulawayo magistrate, Merilyn Mutshina, who sentenced him to 12 months in jail.
Two months of the sentence were suspended for five years on condition of good behaviour.
A further six months were suspended on condition he completed 210 hours of community service.
The remaining four months were suspended on condition he paid restitution to the complainants.
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Prosecutor Memory Takaedza told the court that Dube committed the offences between June 21 and November 8, 2015.
On June 21 at 9am, Dube lured Khumbulani Magutshwa into giving him $196 promising to assist him buy a vehicle at the VID auction. On August 18 he also used the same modus operandi to collect $600 from Rosemary Shumba under the pretext of securing a car for her.
The court heard that on September 24, Dube approached Vikizitha Dhlamini and collected $150 promising to secure a cheap vehicle from VID. On the same day, he collected $250 from Charity Nkomo, promising to help her buy a Toyota Corolla at the VID auction sale.
Dube also duped Ruponiso Tinarwo and collected $200 from her, promising to help her buy a Honda Fit. It is the State case that on the same day, he approached Vicky Luphahla and collected $200 using the same modus operandi.
Dube also collected $610 from Mutsauki, promising to assist him buy a vehicle at the VID auction sale.
On October 21, he conned Dininda Dhlamini into paying him $230 on the same pretext. On October 27, Dube misrepresented to Huggins Maisire that he would process a provisional licence for him and collected $80 from him. On November 8, Dube collected $800 from Themba Dube, promising to buy him a Honda Fit at the VID auction.
The victims then separately filed criminal reports against Dube, leading to his arrest.
