By Political Reporter- Christian Kasukuwere, the 21-year-old son of former minister Saviour Kasukuwere, has reportedly lost nearly R550,000 in a failed grocery supply deal orchestrated by alleged conmen.
The accused, Jethro Mubaiwa (32) and Jonathan Mbunga (25), made their appearance before Harare magistrate Ethel Chichera on Saturday last week, facing charges related to the botched deal.
The court remanded them in custody, shedding light on the connection between Christian and Mbunga within social circles.
According to the State’s case, the incident unfolded on July 30 last year when Christian sought to purchase groceries from South Africa. He engaged Mbunga, who claimed to have connections with Mubaiwa capable of facilitating the deal.
On the same day, Mubaiwa reportedly assured Christian over the phone that he specialized in supplying groceries from South Africa. Mbunga communicated that Mubaiwa possessed a South African FNB Bank account where Christian could deposit the money for the intended groceries.
Allegedly, Christian instructed Albert Chari, an employee based in South Africa and affiliated with his father, to transfer R544,500 to the specified South African bank account. After the money transfer, Christian sent proof of payments to Mbunga via WhatsApp, receiving confirmation that Mubaiwa had received the funds. The promised grocery delivery was expected within three days.
Planning to discuss importation details, Christian arranged a meeting with both Mbunga and Mubaiwa at Belvedere Square in Harare. However, during the meeting, a dispute arose, prompting Mbunga and Mubaiwa to suggest reversing the deal and offering to reimburse US$33,000, equivalent to ZAR544,500.
Subsequently, the accused left Christian’s vehicle under the guise of retrieving the agreed reimbursement from their own vehicle but abruptly drove away, leaving Christian realizing he had fallen victim to a scam. The distressed victim reported the incident to the police.
Investigations uncovered that the account used for the fraudulent transaction belonged to Mubaiwa’s elder brother, Admire Mubaiwa, who is already facing charges related to similar scams. The total loss suffered by Christian amounted to R544,500, with no recovery of the funds.
The court proceedings shed light on the intricate web of deception that ensnared Christian Kasukuwere, emphasizing the importance of vigilance in financial transactions. Newsday reported on this latest development.