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Abraham Kesari Ndlovu

Mashudu Netsianda Senior Court Reporter
SERIAL fraudster, Abraham Kesari Ndlovu, who has been on the run since 2010 after defrauding people of more more than $300,000, appeared in court yesterday facing fresh charges of teaming up with an accomplice to steal a tractor.

Ndlovu, 66, of Richmond was arrested after a dramatic chase when one of his victims spotted him in the city.

Ndlovu and Samson Tlou of Barbourfields appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Tinashe Tashaya yesterday facing theft charges. They were both remanded in custody to December 28.

Prosecuting, Nathaniel Mutsikwa said on May 7 this year, Tlou was approached by Greenfield Nyoni who was selling his tractor.

The court heard that Tlou indicated that he had a potential buyer and the two men went to a house in Mzilikazi where the tractor was being kept.

“The tractor had no battery and Nyoni borrowed a battery from his neighbour before he drove it to Tlou’s house for overnight parking on the understanding that it would be taken to the alleged buyer the following day,” said Mutsikwa.

The following morning, Tlou teamed up with Ndlovu and they hired Jacob Ndlovu to drive the tractor to a house in Hillside where they swapped it for a Toyota Harrier.

The tractor valued at $27,000 was recovered from Caston Shoko who led police to Tlou. Tlou implicated Ndlovu in the scam.

Ndlovu last month jumped from his car and fled into a house where he hid in a wardrobe as detectives pursued him through the city centre.

He allegedly left the wardrobe as police closed in and fell while jumping over a security wall. Ndlovu allegedly sustained injuries during the fall and was admitted to hospital under police guard.

He appeared before the same magistrate facing 11 counts of fraud and was remanded in custody.

The court heard how the smooth talking Ndlovu would get his victims, who had never met him before, to trust him with huge amounts of money and title deeds to upmarket houses in leafy suburbs like Hillside.

He would allegedly take the money, sell the houses without their owners’ approval and disappear.