Emily Mbewe Court Reporter
A SUSPECTED fraudster who allegedly defrauded Mpilo Central Hospital Clinical director Dr Solwayo Ngwenya of nearly $44,000 was yesterday granted $100 bail by a Bulawayo magistrate.Brett Sibanda, 23, made headlines recently after allegedly conning Dr Ngwenya, claiming he could recover a stolen laptop, flash disks and office keys that were stolen from his vehicle in April.

Bulawayo magistrate, Sibongile Msipa-Marondedze granted Sibanda bail after he pleaded not guilty to five counts of extortion though his lawyer, Costa Dube of Mcijo, Dube and Partners.

“After hearing submissions from your defence counsel and the fact that the State doesn’t oppose bail, the court has taken you as a good candidate for bail.

“The conditions are that you reside at your given address, you don’t interfere with State witnesses, and you should deposit a sum of $100 through the clerk of court as bail. The remand date of your trial remains the same, that’s, June 2,” said Msipa-Marondedze.

The theft of keys to the offices of senior Mpilo executives from a car driven by Dr Ngwenya, was thought at the time last month to be the work of officials fingered in a million-dollar tender scandal at the hospital to cover their tracks by stealing incriminating documents.

Prosecutors yesterday said they still did not know who broke into Ngwenya’s car, but they accused Sibanda of swindling Ngwenya of close to $45,000 after claiming he could recover his lost property.

Sibanda, who is the managing director of a local NGO, Umuzi Wabancane, allegedly told Ngwenya that agents from the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) were behind the theft of the items which were contained in a bag.

On April 21 this year, Ngwenya parked his Mazda CX7 at Spar Supermarket along Fife Street and 12th Avenue. This was just hours after the Mpilo Central Hospital board had suspended four top executives who included Chief Executive Officer, Lawrence Mantiziba, Operations Director, Duduza Regina Moyo, finance director, Charles Govo, and central buying unit chairperson, Mxolisi Sibanda, over the tender scandal,

Dumisani Ndlovu, prosecuting, said the car’s locking mechanism was compromised and a bag containing hospital keys, flash disks and a laptop was stolen.

He said a day later, Sibanda allegedly told Ngwenya that CIO operatives had his bag and were demanding cash to release it.

“Sibanda approached Ngwenya through a relative and indicated that he was in a position to offer him private security and he agreed,” said Ndlovu.

The court heard that Sibanda proceeded to Ngwenya’s house, where he told him that the CIO agents wanted $4,500 to release the bag.

“He told Ngwenya that his life was in danger if he didn’t comply with the CIOs’ requests,” said Ndlovu.

Ngwenya, the court heard, gave Sibanda the $4,500 which he later converted to his own use.

Later on the same day, said the prosecutor, Sibanda went on to demand $5,200 stating that the CIOs wanted more money and used the same threats as before.

Ngwenya gave him the money.

The court heard that on April 25, Sibanda used the same tactic to deprive Ngwenya of $15,000 before telling him his family’s life was in danger.

“On the next day, Sibanda approached Ngwenya and told him that the money he had given the CIOs wasn’t enough as they wanted $20,000 before being given $10,000 that he converted to his own use,” said Ndlovu.

Ndlovu told the court that a week later, Sibanda went back to Ngwenya and demanded the balance of $10,000 and was given $9,000.

He said Sibanda would later demand a further $50,000, but a fed-up Ngwenya called in the police.

The total amount of prejudice was $43,700, according to prosecutors.

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