Source: Fake EcoCash messages used to swindle tyre trader – DailyNews Live
Tarisai Machakaire 3 September 2018s
HARARE – A Blue Circle Bus Company employee reportedly manufactured fake
EcoCash payment messages and used them to swindles a tyre trade of $58 000
worth of goods, a court heard.
Modern Nyika, 47, was charged with fraud when he appeared before Harare
magistrate, Rumbidzayi Mugwagwa.
The State had opposed bail arguing that Nyika would flee jurisdiction
since he was caught with some of the stolen property.
However, Mugwagwa released him on $500 bail and ordered him not to
interfere with witnesses, reside at the given address and report every
Friday at Glen Norah Police Station.
The case was remanded to October 2.
Between August 16 and 23 this year Nyika connived with one Mike and
hatched a plan to steal from Tineo Enterprises, trading as Infinity Tyres
at 34 Kelvin Road, Graniteside, Harare.
The court heard that Nyika and his accomplice then created fake EcoCash
transactions messages, which they forwarded to the company’s merchant code
purporting that it had been created from Econet.
It was alleged that using the manufactured EcoCash messages, Nyika would
approach Infinity Tyres and purchase tyres using cellphone communication.
Acting on the misrepresentation, Nyika’s order would be processed by
Infinity on the pretext that the EcoCash messages resembled genuine
payments.
Nyika would allegedly hire motor vehicles to collect the tyres from
Infinity Tyres once the fraudulent payments would have been processed.
The tyres were sent to Nyika and his accomplice’s residents.
The court head that when the matter came to light Nyika led police to
recovery of 13 of the tyres which he hid at Blue Circle garage.
As a result of the manipulated EcoCash message Infinity lost $58 000 and
property worth $7 000 was recovered.
Drivers of the cars that were hired to transport the stolen goods are
willing to testify against Nyika during the trial.
The recovered tyres were positively identified by the owners through
matching serial numbers.
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