A Harare businesswoman, Linds Balpai, who is a director at Lee Capital (Pvt) Ltd, a real estate company, has lost $8 million in a forex exchange deal.
A Harare businesswoman, Linds Balpai, who is a director at Lee Capital (Pvt) Ltd, a real estate company, has lost $8 million in a forex exchange deal.
What happened:
It is alleged that sometime in November 2022, Balpai’s tenant, Manoj Prasad, lost his mobile phone, which John Kandemiri (57) found and used.
Balpai sent messages to Prasad’s Whatsapp account, looking for US$10 000 not knowing that Prasad didn’t have the phone.
Kandemiri, who had the phone, asked Balpai to deposit money in a CBZ Bank account which belonged to a company called Capital Hive Private Limited.
The following day, Balpai went to Prasad’s residence to collect the US$10 000 but he professed ignorance of the transaction indicating that he had lost his phone.
Balpai then realised that she had been duped and reported the matter to the police.
Capital Hive director, Anistos Munyaradzi Makanda was then picked on December 12 for questioning.
It was established that sometime in November 2022, he was approached by Lighton Lloyd Chizema, who is on the run, and was told that he knew someone with $8 million who was looking for US dollars.
Makanda gave Chizema Capital Hive CBZ Bank account number, where the $8 million was transferred and received US$9 091 in return.
Chizema and Kandemiri shared the money and nothing was recovered.
John Kandemiri appeared before a Harare magistrate on Wednesday facing a fraud charge.
He was remanded in custody for bail application.
Download the Pindula App for a better user experience.
news.google.com