The ManicaPost
Takudzwa Manzero and Tanyaradzwa Mujati
A ZIMUNYA man who masqueraded as a spiritual healer and duped a Mutare resident of US$470 was sentenced to 10 months imprisonment.
Talent Tendai Makunike (22) was convicted on his own guilty plea on two counts of fraud when he appeared before Mutare magistrate, Ms Thandiwe Sibanda.
Prosecuting, Miss Sharon Chibvongodze said Makunike created a Whatsapp group titled ‘Matare Nasekuru Mudzere’.
ln that group, he claimed that he was a spiritual healer capable of securing employment for unemployed people.
Makunike also lied that he could bring instant riches to his clients.
The complainant, Andrew Kafunya (23), then met Makunike through the social media platform.
Makunike enticed Kafunya to send him US$30 under the guise that he would help him secure employment.
Makunike claimed that he had a contact named Frank Mugabe in the Zimbabwe National Army.
Mugabe, purportedly the late former President Robert Mugabe’s relative, was supposed to facilitate Kafunya’s employment but had been arrested and wanted US$80 for his bail.
Kafunya sent the money to Makunike.
Makunike and Kafunya then agreed to meet in Mutare so that a ‘spiritual healer’ from Chipinge could cleanse him in Sakubva.
Kafunya paid US$60 for the ‘spiritual healer’s’ transportation from Chipinge.
Makunike then set up a shrine in Sakubva and invited Kafunya to come over.
Makunike told Kafunya to surrender his phone, passport and US$300 before entering the shrine, with the promise that Kafunya’s bag would be full of money after the rituals.
When this did not happen, Kafunya realised that he had been duped and reported the matter to the police, thereby leading to Makunike’s arrest.
The police managed to recover $31 000 plus the complainant’s cellphone from Makunike.
They also recovered another phone and seven sim cards that were being used to dupe people.
Mrs Sibanda sentenced Makunike to 10 months imprisonment, with five months set aside as he is a first time offender.
The other five months were suspended on condition that he does community service for seven weeks at Musabayana Primary School.
He was also ordered to restitute Kafunya’s US$370 and $20 000 on or before August 12.
