Two Glenview men have appeared in court accused of posing as Ministry of Health and Child Care nursing recruitment agents and fleecing desperate applicants of US$1,580.
Erice Tazvinzwa, 77, and Panashe Sanyika, 21, appeared before Harare magistrate Tapiwa Kuhudzai on Tuesday, facing two counts of fraud under Section 136 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act. They were remanded in custody for bail consideration on 2 October.
The State alleges the pair, together with Edith Chidhakwa, who is still at large, advertised fake nursing places on WhatsApp groups and presented themselves as ministry agents who could secure enrolment at various nursing schools around the country for an initial fee of US$1,000 per person.
In the first case, Ireen Phiri, 52, allegedly responded to the advert and was directed to Sanyika’s mobile number. He is said to have assured her he was a genuine ministry agent.
Court papers state that after asking for a discount, she was charged US$800 as a recruitment fee plus US$15 for a uniform. She paid the pair after being promised a place within two weeks, which never materialised. She later established that the ministry does not use recruitment agents and reported the matter to the police. She lost US$815. Nothing was recovered.
The second complainant, Ireen Guza, 48, allegedly fell victim to the same scheme. She was quoted US$700 for recruitment and US$65 for a uniform, paid the money on the same two-week promise, and was similarly left empty-handed.
She too discovered the ministry does not employ recruitment agents and made a police report. She lost US$765 and recovered nothing.
The two men were arrested on 27 September.
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