Zandile Sibanda in Bulawayo
A couple from Barham Green suburb in Bulawayo which adopted a baby from a children’s home and applied skin-lightening creams on him before duping an Indian man into believing that he was the father of the child, has been arraigned before the courts.

The accused, Varaidzo Moyo (40) and her husband Samuel Chikopa (30), reside at 63 Derby Road, Bellevue, Bulawayo, and are both unemployed.
The complainant, Milton Parker, is said to be Moyo’s boyfriend.

The couple last week appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Mr Shepherd Munjanja facing two counts of fraud as defined in Section 136 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act Chapter 9:23.
The circumstances, as narrated by the prosecutor, Mr Malvern Nzombe, are that on July 4 2011 Moyo and Chikopa went to Tredgold District Social Welfare and successfully applied for the adoption of the minor.

They proceeded to Umuzi Wothando Children’s Home where they officially took custody of the child for what is termed a familiarisation period.
It is alleged that while at their home Moyo and Chikopa connived to cheat the complainant by pretending that the former was carrying his child. 
Moyo is said to have visited Parker and told him that she had given birth to his child.

It is the state’s case that Moyo then applied some substances on the child and his complexion turned light as part of her bid to convince Parker, with whom she was now staying, that he was the father.
Moyo’s cover is said to have been blown when she tried to take her daughter’s newly born baby as hers. Apparently irked by her mother’s action, the daughter

reported Moyo to the police.
The “adopted” baby was immediately taken back into the custody of the home where he is under medical supervision. The accused were remanded in custody to July 6.