Chinese woman loses more than $2M in failed Zim diamond deal

A Chinese woman lost $2.1 million to four suspected fraudsters who convinced her that they could buy diamonds on her behalf, according to a local daily.
The Herald newspaper reports that the unnamed Chinese was allegedly defrauded by Mathew Musengezi (36), a Zimbabwean national and his accomplices – three Chinese men, including Huang Fei.
The woman was said to have brought the money in smaller denominations to buy diamonds at the Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation, but was advised that she should have $100 notes only.


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The quartet then allegedly took the money to change it into the said denominations, but disappeared in thin air.
Musengezi was later apprehended and appeared before a Harare magistrate court charged with fraud, while his alleged accomplices were still at large.
He was, however, freed after his lawyer successfully challenged his placement on remand.
The lawyer argued that his client did not sign the warned-and-cautioned statement and was improperly before the court.
He also said that the complainant had approached the court with dirty hands because she was not licenced to deal in diamonds and the court was made to regularise an illegality.
The state opposed, but the magistrate ruled in favour of the defence.
"There is no evidence that the accused signed a warned-and-cautioned statement, therefore, placement on remand is refused," he said.
The Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Company (ZCDC) recently resumed diamond auctions with a stockpile of more than 1 million carats of rough diamonds.
The company had lined up three auctions within the first four months of the year.

Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor in Chief of the African Bureau, Rough&Polished