HARARE — A 35-year-old woman who last year marked her birthday with trips to Paris, Rome, Spain and Germany appeared in court on Saturday charged with swindling 79 people while advertising her car import business.
Prosecutors said Hazel Silibaziso Mafu convinced individuals intending to buy vehicles from Japan to deposit money into the account of her company, Hezy Motors Logistics.
A total of US$624,958.96 and ZiG$1,275,878.35 was paid to her between 2022 and 2026, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said.
The NPA says Mafu failed to deliver the vehicles as agreed and became evasive when those who had paid her began asking questions.
Mafu was remanded in custody to Monday for her bail application.
Her social media accounts show her travelling the world, including images she captioned as celebrations for her 34th birthday, which took her to several European capitals.
During a stop at the Eiffel Tower in Paris, she wrote: “On top of the world, Eiffel Tower, Paris! Every moment feels cinematic.”
She added: “Even the strongest engine needs a fuel stop. Let’s normalise rest as part of success.”
