Harare Car Dealer Arrested Over US$60K Vehicle Deal Scam

Harare Car Dealer Arrested Over US$60K Vehicle Deal Scam

A 29-year-old car dealer from Harare has been arrested for defrauding a client of more than US$60 000 in a botched vehicle sale deal.

The suspect, Tendai Njowa, is accused of converting proceeds from the sale of two Toyota Hilux D4D vehicles to personal use.

The funds reportedly belonged to Ranganai Velinya (38), who had engaged Njowa to handle the transactions.

Also Read: Harare Car Dealer Duped Over US$52,000 in Fake ZIMRA Border Clearance Scam

Failed Recovery Attempts

Court papers seen by ZBC News indicate that Velinya made repeated efforts to recover his money after the deals collapsed. Njowa allegedly gave assurances that he would repay the funds but later became evasive, leading to the report being made to authorities.

Court Appearance and Bail

Njowa later appeared in court where he was formally charged in connection with the matter. He was granted bail of US$200 on Thursday and is expected back in court on May 14 as the case continues.

Investigations into the matter are ongoing.

Social Media Reacts

The case has sparked mixed reactions on social media, with some users questioning the bail decision.

Others used the incident to warn against engaging in vehicle transactions without physically verifying the cars, highlighting the risks involved in such deals.

Some commentators said the case reflects a growing trend of fraud in Zimbabwe, noting that trust in financial and business dealings is increasingly eroding.

At the same time, a section of users reacted with humour, while others pointed to what they believe are larger, more sophisticated fraud cases that often go unpunished, underscoring public frustration with accountability.

Here are some of the comments:

@Lovemore Svinurai

Apihwa bail sei, haazotiza here munhu uyo?

@Cosmas Muunganirwa

Regerai vakomana kutenga mota yamusiri kuona 😂😂

@ Caren Kawadza

Fraud is becoming the order of the day in Zim🙌🏽

@Qunincy Jari

Vanhu havachina kuvimbika pamadhiri emari

@Elliot Moyo

🤸🤸thts the way kwete kuti murume asungirwe tuma dhiri twe Avon🤣

@Peter Mapfumo

Kune anonzi Hezy Motors iyo imbavha hombe hamumbomukwanisi