Travel agency implicated in scam

Yeukai Karengezeka, Court Correspondent

A Harare-based travel agency, Five Bulls Leisure, along with its director Tichatonga Mudzonga (55) and employee Eve Tsvangira (29), have been brought to court on allegations of defrauding a client of US$17 364 in a fraudulent holiday package deal.

The trio appeared before Harare magistrate Mrs Letwin Rwodzi on Saturday, facing fraud charges. They were granted bail and are scheduled to return to court on January 27.

Prosecutor Mr Loveti Muringwa said in February 2023, the complainant saw an advertisement on Facebook for Five Bulls Leisure, which claimed to be a registered travel agency.

The complainant visited the agency’s offices in Belvedere, Harare, where Mudzonga and Tsvangira confirmed they could provide the advertised services.

She sought to book a holiday package for eight people for a cruise from Durban, South Africa, via Mozambique to Japan.

She was quoted US$12 377 for the cruise and an additional US$4 987 for air tickets, totalling US$17 364.

Between February 12 and September 28, she paid the full amount in six installments, with Tsvangira issuing receipts in the company’s name.

On September 28, the complainant sought an update on her bookings and was referred to Mudzonga, who assured her that the cruise was successfully booked with MSC Cruise Ship Company.

He promised to provide confirmation tickets and proof of payment soon.

As the departure date of December 23 approached, the complainant received only the air tickets valued at US$4 987, with no confirmation of the cruise bookings.

Dissatisfied with the explanation provided, she contacted MSC directly, only to learn that while some bookings had been made, no payments were completed, resulting in cancellations.

Furthermore, MSC revealed that some members of her group were never booked.

MSC informed the complainant that their booking window had closed on November 20, leaving no opportunity to salvage the trip.

The court heard that the accused converted the funds for their own use and became evasive, prompting the complainant to report the matter to the police.