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Macdonald Mthandazo Ngwenya (28), of 4471 Emakhandeni initially appeared in court on 13 December and was remanded out of custody on $40 bail.
He was given bail after he told the court that he committed the offence because he wanted to raise money to go to college in Gwanda after securing a place for the January intake.
He was supposed to appear in court for routine remand last week but defaulted prompting Bulawayo magistrate, Mrs Sophie Matimba to issue a warrant of arrest against him.

Ngwenya’s whereabouts were still unknown yesterday.
He allegedly committed the offence in connivance with one Nico Ngwenya, who is still at large.
The two are suspected to have swindled a number of people purporting to be Zesa agents and promising to cancel their outstanding Zesa bills.
Ngwenya’s arrest raised fears that hundreds of residents might have been duped by the suspected fraudsters on the pretext that they would be reconnected after being disconnected by the power utility for not paying.

The two suspects would move around targeting people whom they would see either going to the Zesa banking halls or leaving the place and introduce themselves as agents for the power utility.
In some instances they would go around suburbs claiming to be meter readers upon which they would ask Zesa clients whether they had outstanding debts, which needed to be cleared.
They would allegedly demand bribes ranging between $100 and $300, and promise their “clients” that Ngwenya would go to his office and cancel their debts.

Ngwenya admitted to committing two counts of fraud.
The court was told that on 8 August last year, Ngwenya went to Ms Nyarai Sigauke’s house at Number 6616 Gwabalanda claiming to be a Zesa meter reader. Ms Sigauke reportedly told him that she had a huge debt and feared she might be disconnected.

Ngwenya allegedly told her that he could assist her clear the debt at a fee.
Ms Sigauke promised to pay $200, which she later allegedly gave to Ngwenya.
After a few weeks, Ms Sigauke received a bill from Zesa still showing the same amount owed plus that month’s bill.

She tried to phone Ngwenya but he kept avoiding her.
On the second count, Ngwenya met one Mr Davie Moyo, of Number 4 Irene Avenue in Sauerstown at the Highgate Shopping Complex between 10th and 11th Avenues on 16 November at about 10am.
Mr Moyo was with his friend discussing how his house had been disconnected by Zesa for non-payment of bills.

Upon hearing the conversation, Ngwenya approached him and allegedly introduced himself as a Zesa employee and promised to assist clear the debt.
The court heard that he told Mr Moyo that it would cost him $150 to clear the outstanding bill.

At about 1pm the same day, Nico reportedly phoned Mr Moyo and told him to meet them at Manor Hotel where they would conduct their business.
They allegedly met at about 1.30pm at the said venue.

Mr Moyo allegedly gave $150 to Nico who then assured him that Ngwenya would then go to the office and cancel the outstanding bill.
The court was told that Mr Moyo later realised that the bill was not cleared and phoned the two accused persons but in vain. Ngwenya would allegedly not take his calls or dodge him.

Ngwenya was only arrested when Mr Moyo spotted him in the city and effected a citizen’s arrest. It was at this time that Ms Sigauke also positively identified Ngwenya at an identification parade at the Bulawayo

Central Police Station and also filed a case against him.
Mr Robin Mukura appeared for the State.