Rutendo Ngara
SENIOR STAFF WRITER
A SOLDIER has appeared in court accused of defrauding desperate car buyers of nearly US$48 000 in Harare.
Christopher Chiroroma, who is stationed at Josiah Magama Tongogara Barracks, appeared before Harare provincial magistrate Ruth Moyo facing fraud charges.
He was remanded in custody to July 22 2026 for a bail ruling.
Chiroroma also runs a car sale.
It is alleged that sometime in February 2026, Chiroroma contacted Bothwell Muskwe and falsely represented that the Hino Ranger truck he had sold to him for US $24 600 had been contracted by Delta Beverages in Harare and urgently needed to be returned so that he could receive payments from the company.
The complainant allegedly acted on the misrepresentation and returned the truck to the accused, who then sold it and became unavailable.
It is further alleged that between May 2025 and May 2026, Chiroroma was engaged by Farai Mukudoka, Julie Mhaka, Judith Bonongwe and Monica Taruvinga to purchase and import vehicles on their behalf.
“The accused received US $6 976, US $5 000 from the second to fifth complainants, respectively, and assured them that he would import and deliver motor vehicles to them. After receiving the money, the accused became unavailable.
“All five complainants later discovered that the accused had been arrested for other similar offences and they also reported their matters to the police, leading to the arrest of the accused,” the State alleges.
The court heard that the complainants suffered a cumulative prejudice of US $47 776, and nothing has been recovered.