Gerald Gumede scammed a lecturer while pretending to be an intelligence officer and got busted. The twenty-four-year-old from Highlands tricked his victim into providing free housing and upkeep for months. He claimed he needed space for defense personnel and promised to help the teacher get hired by the military. Gumede even dragged the poor guy to Josiah Magama Tongogara Barracks to sell the lie.
Police raided his spot earlier this month and found a Zimbabwe National Army camouflage blanket he had no business keeping. Prosecutors proved he used the fake rank just to leech off the victim between late last year and this month. The scam involved collecting educational certificates and name-dropping contacts in the President's Department.
Magistrates in Harare slammed him with a twenty-one-month effective prison sentence for the charade. The court gave him time for impersonation and possession of military gear without authority. He serves the bulk of the time for the fraud while the rest covers the illegal uniform issue.
Police raided his spot earlier this month and found a Zimbabwe National Army camouflage blanket he had no business keeping. Prosecutors proved he used the fake rank just to leech off the victim between late last year and this month. The scam involved collecting educational certificates and name-dropping contacts in the President's Department.
Magistrates in Harare slammed him with a twenty-one-month effective prison sentence for the charade. The court gave him time for impersonation and possession of military gear without authority. He serves the bulk of the time for the fraud while the rest covers the illegal uniform issue.
