POLICE in Bulawayo have arrested a man who allegedly moved around the city scamming several residents of money promising them houses to rent, which, however, were never availed.
Gerald Sibanda, who according to reports, operates from Parkade Centre at the National Railways of Zimbabwe building, appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Maxwell Ncube last week.
He was not asked to plead and was remanded on US$200 bail.
The suspect is expected to appear in court by way of summons
Mary Nyika of Macharaga Law Chambers ,who represented the suspects told the court thta Sibanda would pretend to be a landlord while in other instances he would pretend to be a real estate agent or property manager.
Out of desperateness residents woukd be referred to Sibanda by agents and would willingly show the clients houses on the pretext that occupants would move out.
“Sometimes he would show people flats that are being renovated and lure his clients to pay a deposit equal to the rent charges of maybe US$500 as deposit.
“Of all the counts that I have, the smallest amount that he took is US$500 to about US$1 200. When he was taken to court, he had eight counts, but we were told that there were others that had come to make reports. He had been in custody for two days,” Nyika said.
She said some of her clients ended up being stranded, adding that this could have been a premeditated criminal act.
Nyika said police had to use one of his former colleagues to lure the accused, leading to his arrest.
Source Southern eye
