CHINESE DUO IN US$450,000 FRAUD STORM

TWO Chinese men have appeared in court after they allegedly duped a fellow Chinese businessman in a botched chrome deal involving US$450,000. Hu Wenhuan and Chang Qing were not asked to plead when they appeared before Harare regional magistrate Jessie Kufa, charged with fraud. The court heard that between February and June last year, at number 10 Hawick Road Avondale, Harare, the duo, acting in common purpose, misrepresented to Xusheng Investment (Pvt) Ltd, represented by Zeng Ciu, that they were registered chrome miners operating in Mvurwi.

They misrepresented that they had the capacity to supply 4491.381 tonnes of chrome powder, valued at US$450,000, within a period of five months. Acting upon this misrepresentation, Xusheng Investment (Pvt) Ltd, through its representative Zeng, paid the duo a total amount of US$450,000 as an advance payment for the supply of the said chrome powder. However, after receiving the money, the two allegedly failed to deliver the chrome powder as agreed.As a result of the misrepresentation, Xusheng Investment (Pvt) Ltd suffered financial prejudice amounting to US$450,000 and nothing was recovered.