Kurauone Kubvoruno Chimbandi (26), of 17 Grafton Road, West Somerton and not employed, was convicted on his own plea of guilty to six counts of fraud out of 10 he was facing by Bulawayo magistrate Ms Bianca Makwande.

He was remanded in custody to today for sentence.The prosecutor, Mr Carrington Dliwayo, told the court that Chimbandi who was using different vehicles would target unsuspecting cross-border traders intending to travel to Botswana at Bellevue Shopping Centre along Plumtree Road.

He would give them a lift on the pretext that he was also travelling to the neighbouring country and later dupe them of their cash and property.
The court heard that on 18 May at about 7am, Chimbandi offered a lift to Ms Sakhile Ndlovu at Bellevue Shopping Centre on the pretext that he was going to Botswana.

He allegedly told her that he was a detective from Harare.When she got into the vehicle, Chimbandi told her that he had forgotten to change his United States dollars into pula.

He asked the complainant to return with him to the city centre.When they arrived in the city centre he parked his vehicle at Chilham Court along Main Street between 10th and 11th Avenues.

He borrowed Ms Ndlovu’s cellphone informing her that his battery had gone flat.He invited her into the flat, where he said he wanted to change his money.

Chimbandi also asked her if she was interested in changing her money and she gave him US$200 to change on her behalf.While on the second floor of the building, he asked her to wait in the corridors, as he entered a certain room.

He then disappeared with the cash and cellphone.The complainant later went down to check on his vehicle and found it gone.The court heard that on 13 May at about the same time he offered another complainant a lift at the same place and brought her into the city centre.

He took her to Bulawayo Central Police Station where he said he wanted to see someone.Chimbandi asked her whether she also wanted to change her money and was given US$150 and 2 200 rand.

He invited her into the police station and took her to the Criminal Investigations Department reception.While inside, he asked her to sit on the bench at the CID reception, as he wanted to get into a certain office.

The complainant waited for an hour and when she checked outside for his vehicle he had gone.Using the same method, he duped eight other complainants of their valuables and cash amounting to US$1 335 and 3 000 pula.