Sheillah Mapani Herald Reporter
A former High Court orderly appeared in court last week on allegations of defrauding an unsuspecting man of $1 140 after misrepresenting to him that he was a lawyer.
Jaison Vembo appeared before Harare magistrate Ms Barbra Mateko facing charges of fraud. He was remanded to October 5 on $50 bail.
The prosecutor Ms Idah Maromo alleged that between March and May last year, Shingirayi Kachembere (47) was looking for a lawyer to represent him at the High Court.
It is alleged that a family friend Nancy Makopehe referred him to Vembo, whom he communicated with via phone calls since he is based in the United Kingdom. They agreed on a fee of $1 140.
It is the State’s case that Kachembere first sent $800 on Vembo’s EcoCash line and later sent $300 to Nancy through Western Union . Nancy handed over the money to Vembo who later called Kachembere acknowledging receipt of the cash.
During the same month, Kachembere discovered that Vembo was not a registered lawyer, but a former High Court orderly, prompting him to demand his money back, but Vembo made up a lot of excuses.
The matter was reported to the police leading to his arrest.