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Auxilia Katongomara Chronicle Reporter
FOUR Bulawayo fraudsters allegedly forged a city man’s national identity card and withdrew $3,000 from his EcoCash account. Langton Dube, 19, Polite Mhlanga, 24, Elton Khumalo, 34, and Lizwe Sakhile Dube, 19, appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Marylyn Muchina facing forgery and fraud charges. Two conmen believed to be the masterminds behind the scam are on the run.

The quartet pleaded not guilty to defrauding Oliver Ndlovu, 60, of Mpopoma. Ndlovu is not related to the suspects and it was not clear how they got both his national identity and mobile numbers.

Prosecuting, Kudakwashe Jaravaza told the court that on September 17 at around 12PM, the four men and their two accomplices, who are still at large, made a plan to scan, edit and print Ndlovu’s national identity card. They allegedly put one of their pictures on the fake document.

“The men used the fake national identity card to block and replace Ndlovu’s Econet sim card at the Econet Ascot branch. The court heard how they managed to replace Ndlovu’s sim card and reset his EcoCash account pin number.

The prosecutor said on the same day at 13:56PM, the four approached an EcoCash agent in the city centre and cashed out $500. At around 2PM, the court heard, the gang approached another EcoCash agent and cashed out $400.

“On September 23 at 1PM, the gang approached an agent at Bulawayo Centre and they cashed out $500. At 1.33PM on the same day, they went to an agent along Fort Street where they withdrew $475,” said Jaravaza. He told the court that on September 25 at 2.18PM, the suspects cashed out $500 and did another transaction 10 minutes later and cashed out $450.

“On September 26, the accused persons approached an agent at Greens Supermarket and withdrew $174,” said Jaravaza. According to a print produced in court, all transactions cost a further $34 in service fees for cash outs and balance inquiry. Ndlovu was defrauded of $3,029.

They were arrested after Ndlovu noticed irregularities with his sim card which had been blocked. He made a report at Econet. The four will be back in court on Friday for commencement of trial.