Marondera woman arrested for faking UK migration f...

Marondera woman arrested for faking UK migration facilitation

Michael Mashiri

A woman who allegedly altered her name to defraud people who intended to migrate to the United Kingdom for health care jobs has appeared in court.

Marylin Mangwende, 27, of Tangwena Square, Nyameni, in Marondera appeared before magistrate Evelyn Mashavakure at the Harare Magistrates' Court accused of fraud, contravening Section 136 of the Criminal law (Codification and Reform) Act Chapter 9:23.

The State, through Zebediah Bofu, alleges that from February 2023 to March 2023 Mangwende, who is employed as a sales executive at Black Toe Sports Shop, connived with her accomplice who is still at large and who masqueraded as Doctor Calisto Manyati which was not his real name to defraud unsuspecting people who intended to migrate to UK for health care jobs.

Mangwende was masquerading as Marylin Manyati.

They posted a fictitious advert on Facebook.

However on March 16, 2023, the complainant who, after approaching Mangwende and her accomplice, doubted their capacity to fulfil their claims of facilitating the issuance of a certificate of sponsorship for her daughter, Tariro Tanyaradzwa Mhuka, reported the matter to the police.

This was after Mangwendes’ accomplice had instructed the complainant to deposit US$3 660 into Magwende’s FBC Visa card.

The police set up a trap after convincing Mangwende to get payment in cash, leading to her arrest and the recovery of the FBC Bank card.

Mangwende was communicating with her accomplice who disappeared on learning that she had been arrested.

As a result, the complainant suffered a potential prejudice of US$3 660.

Mashavakure deferred Magwende’s bail application to tomorrow.