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Bongani Ndlovu

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A couple in Bulawayo has been arrested for fraud after swindling people of over US$34 000 as they posed as agents who could secure people with work permits and jobs in Canada, United Kingdom and Ireland.

The two, Gwendoline Ndlovu (35) and her husband Melusi Ndlovu (36) from Sunninghill suburb in Bulawayo were arrested for fraud which happened in August 2022.

According to a statement, Bulawayo provincial police spokesperson Inspector Abednico Ncube said the pair posed themselves as the agents of an undisclosed company that deals in securing jobs, work permits and processing of travel documents for people who wanted to work in Canada, the United Kingdom and Ireland.

He said the couple was approached by eight people from Bulawayo on different dates and who were told to pay US$ 4 000 each in order to get the services.

Inspector Ncube said the victims paid fractions of the US$4 000 and payment plans were made since they could not raise the full amount.

“The complainants were interviewed on different occasions through WhatsApp video and audio calls by a male person who purported to be working with the accused persons and they were told that they had passed. They were then given periods ranging from two weeks to three weeks from the date of interviews that their processes were going to be ready for them to go to their respective destinations. However, the accused persons failed to deliver till the promised period lapsed,” he said.

Inspector Ncube said since August the couple had been evasive when asked by victims and this month one of them got wind that the two were moving property from offices in the city.

“The accused persons started giving complainants different reasons till they were under pressure and decided to vacate their known office without notice. On the 3^rd day of May 2023, one of the complainants was informed that the accused persons were vacating their office and ferrying their property from it.

“She quickly went there and found them loading the property into the car. She phoned the police and this led to the arrest of Melusi Ndlovu. Gwendoline Ndlovu was also arrested on the same day at Bulawayo central hospital. the total value defrauded is us$ 34 801 and nothing was recovered,” said Inspector Ncube, who added that the couple is helping police with investigations.

He said at least 12 more similar cases have been received from new victims following the couple’s arrest.

Inspector Ncube urged members of the public to be cautious when dealing with agents and verify the authenticity of the companies they want to deal with before doing any transactions so as to avoid losing large sums of money.

He appealed to those who might have fallen victim to the couple to come forward to make their reports at the commercial crimes division at Bulawayo central police station.

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