A 44-year-old Harare man has appeared before the Harare Magistrates' Court facing fraud charges after allegedly swindling a client out of US$14,000 in a botched vehicle import deal.
Golden Chirau is accused of falsely claiming he could import a Toyota RAV4 from South Africa before collecting the full purchase price and failing to deliver the vehicle.
According to the State, the complainant, Nolbert Ruhukwa (31), approached Chirau in November 2023 seeking assistance to import the vehicle.
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Prosecutors allege Chirau quoted a total cost of US$14,000 and met Ruhukwa at the Zimbabwe Main Post Office in Harare on November 15, 2023, where he received a US$10,000 cash deposit.
The court heard that Chirau later instructed Ruhukwa to transfer the remaining US$4,000 into a First National Bank South Africa account, which the complainant allegedly did. Chirau is said to have acknowledged receiving the full amount.
Despite being paid in full, prosecutors say Chirau never delivered the vehicle. Instead, he allegedly gave the complainant repeated assurances before becoming unreachable.
The State says Ruhukwa lost US$14,000, and none of the money has been recovered.
Chirau was remanded in custody and is expected back in court on July 28, 2026, for a bail application.
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