Man loses US$14 000 to ‘fake’ ZIMRA agent

A 40-year-old Beitbridge man who posed as a Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) agent and duped a car buyer of his US$14 000 has appeared before Harare magistrate Appolonia Marutya facing a fraud charge.

Thomas Mangeren pleaded not guilty to the charges and was remanded in custody to April 4 for bail hearing.

It is alleged that the accused person misrepresented to the complainant that he was an agent who could help to facilitate payment of duty for his South Africa-registered Toyota Hilux vehicle.

Mangeren then sent two different assessment numbers N13111 and N18141 to the complainant, purported to be from Zimra in respect of duty for the vehicle.

The complainant was made to deposit US$6 400 and US$5 936 using the assessment numbers.

After the transaction, Mangeren became evasive and ignored the complainant who later decided to visit Zimra offices for verification.

At Zimra offices, the complainant was informed that his vehicle’s import duty was not paid.

A police report was filed, leading to the arrest of the accused.

Investigations revealed that the assessment numbers sent by Mangeren to the complainant were for the facilitation of payment of duty to two different vehicles. Thomas Chanakira prosecuted.

NewsDay