By Jane Mlambo| A Harare gold buyer was duped of US$45000 meant for buying gold that was later discovered to be fake.

The fraudsters namely Stephen Mhumbwe, Louis Mudzongo and Mike Tafira appeared before Harare magistrate Dennis Mangosi yesterday where they were remanded out of custody to June 2.

It is the State case that the trio connived and duped a Harare businessman who is a registered gold buyer.

It is the State’s case that Mudzongo was approached by Tafira to the effect that he had some people selling gold in Ngezi and they were looking for a buyer and Mudzongo went on to engage Mhumbwe to look for a buyer.

It is the State case that Mhumbwe approached the Harare businessman and convinced him that he had a brother, Mudzongo, who was selling gold and since he is a registered buyer, he got interested in buying the gold and he was connected to a person only known as Mashonganyika who was said to have the gold.

Mhumbwe accompanied Mashiri to meet Mashonganyika who was in the company of one Jena and T-one and he was given what seemed to be gold ore and he was convinced that it was genuine and paid US$45 000 through Mhumbwe, the court heard.

The Harare businessman later discovered that that it was not gold and he had been defrauded prompting him to make a police report as no recoveries were made and the trio became evasive.

Lancelot Mutsokoti appeared for the State.