A leader of a bogus workers union Vengai Mubangu (52) was Monday hauled to court answering to fraud charges after he conned an unsuspecting client.
Mubangu of Glenview, court was told, is a leader of a union called Construction and Allied Trades Workers Union of Zimbabwe.
He briefly appeared before Harare magistrate Marewanazvo Gofa who granted him US$100 bail.
He will return to court on October 17 for his routine remand.
According to the state, Mubangu duped one Joe Tavaruva after promising to negotiate for his outstanding salary after he resigned from W2 Industries (Pvt) Ltd.
According to court documents, in June 2022, Tavaruva resigned from his workplace and he engaged his employers for his benefits and salary dues with no luck.
Tavaruva then approached Mubangu and asked him to negotiate for his outstanding salaries.
"On the 18 of November 2022, the complainant together with the accused went to Welli-Will Industries to engage the management over the salary arrears.
"A meeting was convened between Wilbert Makonese, the Director of Welli-Will Industries, the complainant, and the accused in the representative capacity of the complainant," reads court papers.
It is alleged the two reached an agreement that the company was going to pay a total of US$3 540 in installments to the complainant.
They also allegedly agreed that the money would be paid through Mubangu.
Payments were made to Mubangu for onward transmission to Tavaruva with the first instalment of US$619 being made on November 22 2022.
The second instalment of US$540 was made on the 13 of December 2022.
"The third installment of US$620 was made on the 4th of January. The fourth, of US$400 was made on the 8 of March and the fifth instalment of US$200 was made on the 20th of March."
Tavaruva later made follow-ups with his former employers but they told him they were fulfilling their side of the agreement and had paid a total of US$2 379 by May 2023 to Mubangu.
Tavaruva then filed a report with the Zimbabwe Anti- Corruption Commission leading to Mubangu's arrest.
