TWO Harare men defrauded desperate student nurses of US$7 780 after promising them job placements at a government hospital.
Effort Chirandata (45) and Martha Chitumba (54) appeared before Harare magistrate Dennis Mangosi facing fraud charges.Chirandata was released on US$100 bail while Chitumba was remanded in custody to February 8 for bail application.
State prosecutor Rufaro Chonzi alleged that in January 2023 the two defrauded unsuspecting student nurses seeking enrolment at Sally Mugabe Central Hospital. Chirandata lured unsuspecting student nurses before directing them to Chitumba as the link person to secure employment for them.
They made unsuspecting student nurses to pay varying amounts to secure employment.On January 6, 2024, Chirandata sent a message on the WhatsApp group advising the student nurses to proceed to Sally Mugabe Central Hospital to collect employment offer letters from Chitumba.
It is alleged that on January 8 this year the complainants went to Sally Mugabe Central Hospital, but Chitumba was nowhere to be found.According to State papers, Chitumba became evasive, prompting the complainants to make a police report leading to their arrest.
