The Sunday Mail
Twelve individuals believed to be sophisticated fraudsters have been placed on the police top priority list after they allegedly defrauded the State and other victims of more than US$1 million over the last two years. Some of the suspects — after learning that Serious Fraud detectives were hot on their heels — are said to have skipped the country while others are ducking in various urban centres across the country.
Prominent businessman Genius Kadungure, who has been in the news lately over an assortment of alleged frauds, features on the list of suspects who are wanted in connection with a series of crimes including cyber fraud and theft.
Moses January Banda, Zivai Masona, Alfonz Muzambi, Admire Mbovha, Andrew Bidi, Priscilla Chakanyuka, Hamilton Ketswa, Shepherd Maunganidze, Morgan Vengesai Chirayi, Loveness Kamudyariwa and Fortune Joseph are the other suspects.
It is understood that detectives are trailing 335 fraud suspects among them prominent personalities, including politicians, businesspeople and church pastors.
Housewives and employees are also said to be on the list.
The 12 were, however, elevated to the uppermost position on the list on account of their alleged crimes.
Law enforcement agents — according to Police Deputy Officer Commanding Serious Fraud Chief Superintendent Peter Magwenzi — are keen to deal with fraud given the marked increase in the number of such cases.
At least 10 fraud cases are being recorded each month since January.
The figures could escalate if more victims report to the police.
According to information supplied by the police, topping the list is the infamous Moses January Banda, a cyber criminal who is wanted in connection with a series of shady dealings in South Africa and Zimbabwe.
Banda allegedly misrepresents himself to victims that he has offshore accounts and claims that he can pay for gas supplies from South Africa on behalf of his victims using rands.
In return, the victims give him the equivalent amount in United States dollars. In one of the cases under investigation, he allegedly defrauded one of his victims of US$21 212.
Andrew Bidi, another fraudster, fraudulently generated a deed of transfer for a residential stand then gave it to a real estate agency to sell.
The stand was duly advertised by the firm and sold.
However, it was later discovered that the stand did not belong to him and the amount prejudiced stands at US$16 000.
Chief Superintendent Magwenzi said: “Politicians, businesspeople, pastors, ordinary employees, church goers, housewives and even police or soldiers have been picked up in connection with various fraudulent activities.
“They are white collar criminals, who blend in with people in society and then pounce on their unsuspecting victims.”
He said tight-knit syndicates of fraudsters were mainly targeting home-seekers and those who want to buy residential stands or houses.
The fraudsters usually operate in groups of four and five, allegedly working in cahoots with rogue officials at the Deeds Office and Registrar-General’s Department.
With a database of vacant houses, mainly in the medium and low-density suburbs, the housing fraudsters approach their colleagues at the Deeds Office and are given the title deeds of the vacant house. Connecting with their other friends in the real estate sector, they flight advertisements in local newspapers stating that they are selling the house.
Desperate home-seekers will then fall prey to another clique of the fraudsters. The home-seekers, after touring a house, are told to pay a deposit so that they can move into the house.
After receiving the money, the gang disappears. The home-seekers only get to know that they have been duped after failing to get through on their mobile phones.
“Usually this gang can pounce on four or five home-seekers in a space of two days.
“The fraudsters walk away with amounts ranging between US$15 000 and US$30 000 from each individual depending on the type of house they will be purporting to sell.
“Some of them even use the same method by saying that they selling a residential stand in areas where housing stands are being sold.
“After the home seekers have paid them the gang disappears and they continue with this same modus operandi countrywide,” said Chief Supt Magwenzi.
He said the same crew also pretends to be flat owners so as to fleece home seekers. Investigating officers at Serious Fraud said they had noted that there are also gangs of fraudsters who were targeting car rentals by misrepresenting that they work for well-established companies.
The fraudsters would then pay the daily rental fee before fleeing with the vehicle to sell it in neighbouring countries such as Mozambique.
Police said this crew was linked to the other crop of fraudsters who pretend to be buyers from parastatals and claim that they can buy accessories or office furniture on the parastatal’s credit facility.
Chief Supt Magwenzi has vowed that his unit will nab at least half of these most wanted fraudsters by year end.
“We have over 500 fraudsters on our wanted list.
“We know that a number of them have fled the country, but we have been tracking them.
“Some are still in the country and we will soon publish their pictures in the Press and in all social gathering places,” he said.
