Disgraced Slay King in Another Fraud Case
Kudakwashe Hove tendered a fake proof of transfer of US$950 into the lodge’s nostro account.
INCARCERATED popular social media personality, Kudakwashe Hove, was brought to court again facing fresh charges of fraud involving more than US$1,000.
He pleaded not guilty to fraud when he appeared before Harare magistrate Caroline Matanga and is expected back in court on March 1 for trial commencement.
The State said on May 26, Hove went to Grosvenor House seeking food and accommodation. Allegations are that he told management he was going to pay when he checks out. The following day, Hove extended his stay and invited four people, and booked an extra room.
Hove and his friends are said to have checked out on the morning of May 28 and they were invoiced US$950. Hove tendered a fake proof of transfer into the lodge’s nostro account.
On May 30, a lodge official went to the bank to verify the transfers, as it had not reflected into her account, and that is when she realised that the tendered proof of payment was fake. Hove was, last month, found guilty of enjoying food worth over $364,500 at a local restaurant without paying.
He pleaded guilty to defrauding Sabai Thai Restaurant in Ballantyne Park, Harare. He also pleaded guilty to a theft charge for stealing the restaurant’s manager cellphone, which had been left on the counter while he was attending to other customers.
The State led by Shambadzeni Fungura, heard it that on January 10, at around 7pm, Hove went to the restaurant where he ordered a takeaway. He then approached the cashier and indicated that he had paid for the takeaway using a Zipit transaction.
According to the State, he then went on to send a fake confirmation message to the receiving mobile number and presented it to the cashier as “proof of payment”.
Believing the confirmation message, the cashier processed the order, but the cashier later noticed the con after Hove had already left the restaurant.
The restaurant was duped of food worth $96,300 on this occasion. On January 12, Hove returned to the same restaurant around 5pm and ordered food worth $268,200. He used the same modus operandi and went way after producing another fake proof of payment.
He was busted when he tried his luck for the third time and handed over to the police.
