Two individuals from Harare have been accused of defrauding desperate student nurses of US$7,780 by promising them job placements at a government hospital. Effort Chirandata (45) and Martha Chitumba (54) appeared before Harare magistrate Dennis Mangosi, facing charges of fraud. Chirandata was released on US$100 bail, while Chitumba was remanded in custody until February 8 for a bail application.
According to State prosecutor Rufaro Chonzi, the alleged fraud took place in January 2023 when Chirandata and Chitumba deceived unsuspecting student nurses who were seeking enrolment at Sally Mugabe Central Hospital. Chirandata would approach the student nurses and direct them to Chitumba, who was portrayed as the person responsible for securing employment for them.
The accused individuals would then make the student nurses pay varying amounts of money to secure employment. On January 6, 2024, Chirandata sent a message on a WhatsApp group instructing the student nurses to go to Sally Mugabe Central Hospital and collect their employment offer letters from Chitumba.
When the complainants arrived at the hospital on January 8, Chitumba was nowhere to be found. She allegedly became evasive, prompting the complainants to report the matter to the police, which ultimately led to the arrest of Chirandata and Chitumba.
