DT Crime Correspondent
A Zimbabwe National Army member stationed at the Josiah Magama Tongogara Barracks has fallen victim to a fraudulent durawall construction deal, losing a substantial sum of US$730.
Kudakwashe Chindunga (39) entered into an agreement with Kevin Tshuma (35) of Harare to construct a Gabion perimeter durawall for his nephew who is based in Ireland.
The total cost was agreed at USD$1300 and on Friday 27 October 2023, the two met in Harare business district and Tshuma was given USD700 as deposit for the work for which balance was to be paid upon completion of the job.
Tshuma dragged to finish the job and on Tuesday 21 November 2023, a month later, Tshuma asked for money to buy more materials for durawall inserts. Again he met Chindunga in Harare central business district and he was given USD$730.
A follow up three days later to have the materials delivered yielded nothing as Tshuma gave flimsy excuses that he was busy and that he had been called back to his work place since he was on leave.
The Gabion durawall was also not completed and Tshuma blocked all communication.
This prompted Chindunga and his nephew to make an enquiry with the said Harare based fencing company and it was revealed that he was since sacked a month earlier.
Upon the revelations, Tshuma agreed to reimburse the money but he never returned it and all efforts drew blanks. This prompted Chindunga to file a police report at Harare Central police station (docket number CR232/12/23)
Tshuma converted the USD$730 to his personal use and nothing was recovered. With the help of his friends in the Zimbabwe Republic Police, the complainant managed to track Tshuma and arrested him in December 2023 before handing him over to Constable Muvirimi who is the investigating officer.
Surprisingly, Cst Muvirimi could not take the accused to court as per normal procedure. He released him without any explanation. The complainant then went on to ask the police and he was advised that they were going to court on 21 December 2023.
On the court date, the complainant was told by Cst Muvirimi to go straight to Rotten Row Magistrates court and wait for him and the accused by they never turned up.
Around midday, the police officer told Chindunga that the accused had agreed to return the money so he was to come to Harare Central Police Station to get his USD$730 back.
That was the last he could hear of it. Chindunga made several visits to the police officer but with no help. Then on 7 February 2024, the complainant together with his nephew who had come from Ireland went to see Cst Muvirimi and they were told that the docket was sent to court for consideration.
That was the last communication they had to get from the police. Since December 2023, the case is still to see the light of the day and the accused is freely roaming the streets.
Tshuma even bragged over the phone that he wont get arrested and his last known address is 34/1/44 NRZ Security Quarters
