By James Muonwa, Mashonaland West Correspondent  

A HABITUAL fraudster has appeared in court after being arrested for attempting to defraud a Chinhoyi hardware of goods worth over US$2 000.

Elton Nhamoinesu Charowedza (52) of Epworth in Harare was Wednesday dragged before Chinhoyi Magistrate, Batsirai Madzingira, facing fraud charges after trying to use a fake electronic money transfer confirmation slip at Stockday Distributors Hardware.

He was remanded to July 17 on $10 000 bail.

Investigating officer, Detective Sergeant Cuthbert Bisoni, had opposed bail, arguing Charowedza had committed similar offences while on bail, and that he was a flight risk as he was of no fixed abode.

The state case, led by Prosecutor Clever Nyapfani, is that on June 24 this year, accused person originated a counterfeit Stanbic Bank Westgate Branch electronic money transfer document purporting Evangelical Fellowship Church of Zimbabwe had transferred US$2 458 from their account, number 9140002861142 into Stockday Distributors Hardware’s ZB Bank Chinhoyi account, number 4565-408084-405 for the purchase of 132 x 16mm deformed steel bars and 156 x 14mm deformed steel bars.

Charowedza proceeded to the hardware in Chinhoyi, where he tendered the fake bank transfer document to Rindai Michael Hazangwi, an employee of Stockday Distributors Hardware, intending to collect the steel bars.

Hazangwi thoroughly scrutinised the document and discovered that it was not a genuine transaction confirmation.

He then alerted police,  who reacted swiftly and arrested Charowedza.