Commercial Crimes Unit cop up for identity theft 

Source: Commercial Crimes Unit cop up for identity theft – DailyNews Live

Tarisai Machakaire     12 December 2017

HARARE – A cop based at Commercial Crimes Unit in Harare reportedly stole
his workmate’s particulars and used them to purchase a smart phone from
G-Tel on credit, a court heard yesterday.

Edmore Mushaya, 29, was charged with fraud when he appeared before Harare
magistrate Barbra Mateko on Saturday.

He was granted $50 bail, ordered not to interfere with witnesses and
continue residing at his present address as part of bail conditions.

Mushaya was remanded to January 10 next year.

The complainant is Mushaya’s workmate Lloyd Chitombo, a police constable
at Commercial Crimes Unit.

The State alleged that on November 4, Mushaya reportedly stole Chitombo’s
pay slip and national identity card.

He reportedly wanted to upgrade his cellphone and approached G-Tel agent
Kim Koti armed with Chitombo’s particulars.

The court heard that Koti sold G-Tel mobile phones on credit at Harare
Central Police Station. Mushaya llegedly masqueraded as Chitombo and
purchased a G-Tel X5 mini handset valued at $420.

He reportedly completed Credit Application and Declaration Forms using
Chitombo’s particulars and was photographed by Koti since it was a
requirement when the purchaser’s details would be entered into G-Tel’s
computer systems.

Following this transaction, the court heard, G-Tel was scheduled to deduct
$35 through Salary Service Bureau from Chitombo’s salary every month for a
year.

The offence came to light on November 29 when Chitombo visited G-Tel
business offices along Nelson Mandela Avenue, Harare, intending to
purchase a phone on credit.

It was alleged that Chitombo discovered that Mushaya had fraudulently
acquired a mobile phone using his particulars on November 4.

This prompted Chitombo to file a police report against Mushaya, leading to
his arrest on December 8 this year.