Smoke and mirrors

The landline rang early in the morning when Baba and Mai were still eating breakfast. By the time they picked it up, it had stopped. Then Baba's cell phone started buzzing incessantly.

"Who is it who has no respect for Bank Holidays? We have only just woken up, and it's Easter Monday," said Baba.

"Baba, answer it." Mai was growing impatient.  "It never rings unless there's an emergency."

"Hello. Yes. Yes. When?"

Baba moved away from the table into the veranda and continued,

"Yes, Yes, but we talked to you all yesterday! He never mentioned a thing. When did all this happen? Early this morning? That's terrible. Do you want me to come over? Ok, I'll tell your mum, and she can lay an extra place for you. We are still eating breakfast. Are you already on your way?  I am so sorry, Jess. Let's talk when you get here. Drive safely."

Mai drew nearer, "It's Jess? What has happened, Baba? Tell me while I set an extra place for her. Is she coming with Bvunzai and the children?"

"No, she's alone. She is hysterical, and I couldn't make head or tail of what she was saying. Something about Bvunzai getting arrested early this morning and the police arriving with a search warrant and turning their place upside down. They took a computer and two laptops, and some of Bvunzai's papers. Jess is leaving the police station, although she couldn't talk to Bvunzai, only his lawyer. Can you believe it! Bvunzai has been incarcerated! Let's wait till she arrives to tell the full story."

"But we saw them only yesterday when they came for Easter lunch! Baba, you were the one who spent time with him. Did he say anything to you? All Jess told me was the children would spend the rest of the Easter Break with their paternal grandparents. At least they didn't have to witness the police searching their premises. Poor Jess. This whole affair must have been building up over time, and Jess didn't suspect anything?" asked Mai as she busied herself at the breakfast table.

Baba, who had been peering anxiously through the main door he had left ajar, suddenly approached Mai.

"You go and meet her. You are better at consoling her than I am."

Jess entered the house, looking dishevelled, red-eyed, and snivelling while trying to retrieve tissues from her bag. Mai escorted her and sat with an arm enveloping her daughter as Jess spoke in between sobs. After sipping herbal tea, Jess became calmer and, with a nervous grin, said,

"What an Easter! I can't believe this is happening to us."

"Start from the beginning, Jess. I've only told your mother snippets of your call."

Jess related the unfolding story around her husband of less than a year. The police had taken him into custody that morning. She had tried to get the facts from Bvunzai, who was evasive and kept saying he’d been mistaken for someone else and would be out soon.

  Jess had also met Mr Mungati, their family lawyer, briefly, in the corridors of the police station. After visiting his client, the lawyer assured Jess that he would explain as much as possible, barring lawyer/client privilege, and advised her to go home and rest.

Mai interjected, " Jess, Jess, slow down. I can't process what you are saying. I thought your husband is a successful businessman selling hardware and heavy machinery. When did he become a criminal?"

With a knowing but worried look, Baba kept silent while Jess explained the little she knew about Bvunzai's business deals.

Jess had requested the family lawyer to pass through and explain the situation since he was still putting Bvunzai's defence case together and pursuing bail for Bvunzai. Just as they finished breakfast, the front doorbell rang, and Baba got up, muttering,

"This is all we need!"

Mr Mungati was a mature man in his mid-40s, impeccably dressed in handmade suits and crocodile shoes with a matching briefcase. He was the go-to lawyer when it came to criminal cases in the city. He operated a slick legal firm that dealt with high profile cases and was always in the news. He did not come cheap, and Baba asked Jess later how her husband could afford the firm's fees. Mr Mungati exuded confidence.

After perfunctory greetings, he briefed Baba, Mai and Jess. Despite the family's eagerness for minute details, he shielded any awkward questions as they bombarded him with questions about Bvunzai's alleged crimes. The little he shared was that the authorities were accusing Bvunzai of being part of an international syndicate involved in a computer-based advance fee scam. After a multi-country investigation, Bvunzai had been identified as the alleged mastermind behind the siphoning of millions of dollars from unsuspecting individuals. So, there was no hope of bail since he was also a flight risk.

"Mr Mungati, how does this advanced fee scam operate? Our son in law runs a legitimate business. So the authorities must be confusing him with someone else," said Mai.

"Based on the information I have received from the police, Mai, and supporting evidence from the raid of his house and business, your son in law appears to be in deep trouble. It is alleged his hardware business is a front, and in the back offices, he employed four computer savvy young men round the clock, targeting potential victims. The team sends emails to unsuspecting individuals and tells them they can share the proceeds of a large inheritance if they make a small down payment to facilitate the transfer. Some victims make the payment, and Bvuzai's men then either disappear on line after the payment or persuade the victim to cover additional expenses. In the end, the victim gets nothing. During the transaction, the victim would be persuaded to share bank details to facilitate the depositing of the alleged inheritance. Gullible individuals have parted with their bank details, and some individuals started seeing money being siphoned from their accounts. Bvunzai's associates would start with small amounts, which the account holder would probably not notice. Then the scammers would get bolder and increase the amounts leaving the accounts over time, till the bank questions the customer about suspicious transactions or the account holder discovers the fraud. It is simple and yet sophisticated and plays on people's greed."

Baba asked,

"But if it is a few dollars here and there, how does it get into millions?"

Mr Mungati continued,

"Imagine if the scam is scaled up and you send the spam mail to millions of people across the globe. It's like fishing. Some do get hooked, and part with their money or bank details and others become wise and report to their banks. I'm sure you've received bank alert messages about sharing confidential information with strangers. Sophisticated scammers can be persuasive and even mimic banks by phoning individuals asking for personal and confidential information. Imagine our older persons; they can easily be scammed and divulge account details, PINs or passwords.

Wilting by the minute, Jess began to realise the implications and scale of the crimes her husband was being suspected of committing. She couldn't look Baba in the eye as the lawyer continued exposing their lack of knowledge about Bvunzai's lifestyle. Baba turned to Jess and said,

"Are you telling me you suspected nothing and yet you were living under the same roof?"

"Baba, you know I have never been very good with money," said Jess defensively. "On the rare occasions when I asked how we could afford the expensive holidays, the children's private school fees and living in one of the most expensive suburbs in the city, he would fob me off. He bragged about investing well, or sometimes he would say he had won a massive contract, and I shouldn't worry. He would provide. Who doesn't want a comfortable life? Remember when I married him, he promised I would not have to work again in my life, and I believed him."

Mai asked Baba," So are you telling me all those expensive gifts we benefitted from are all from stolen proceeds? Jess' expensive wedding, our European holidays and the refurbishment of our house? I don't know how we will live in this city when all this comes out in the open—having a son in law as a thief! I can't believe we allowed him to infiltrate our family. I always thought he was a Jonny come lately. His flashy cars and foreign trips and whatever you want, I can provide attitude."

"Mai, don't pretend you didn't enjoy the spoils of his alleged criminal activity," said Baba. "According to you, the sun shown out of his eyes. Were you not the one campaigning for the next family holiday in the Bahamas even when I told you I could not afford such a lifestyle? But you persuaded me to agree to go, saying it was a fitting golden wedding anniversary present from our son in law. You have changed your tune pretty quickly!"

"I'm afraid there is more", said the lawyer. "Jess, were you planning to go for a short break abroad this week?"

Jess stared at the lawyer,

"How did you know? Of course, the police must have found the airline tickets at home or in his office."

Mr Mungati continued, "It appears Bvunzai, for some time, had been planning to skip the country and set up his criminal operations elsewhere when he realised the authorities were on to him. The proposed holiday was his exit strategy," said the lawyer. "The tickets, according to police reports, were one way. One was for Bvunzai, and the other was under the name of a woman who is not Jess."

Jess said, "What do you mean one-way tickets? He said we needed a short break. And the other ticket was not in my name?"

"It was for someone called Julia Moto. Do you know her?"

"Julia, she lives with us," said Jess.  "Bvunzai introduced her to me as his cousin who wanted somewhere to stay while looking for a job. I have always suspected that wasn't the actual story. The two of them were too close for comfort. That s… So they were going to leave me high and dry! At least I still have the house and cars. Good riddance to bad rubbish!"

The lawyer said, "I wish life was that simple, Jess. My sources tell me your house Jess, was sold some time ago, and last week, the money was externalised. Even the two cars-the Range Rover and the Lexus, which are still on hire purchase, they would have been repossessed soon enough. His local bank accounts, which are virtually empty, have been frozen. Until the true picture comes out, the court will probably give you a small living allowance to cover your daily expenses. Nothing more."

Once again Jess dissolved into tears. Baba looking more forlorn, thanked the lawyer, saying they had heard enough. He escorted Mr Mungati out and resumed the conversation as they made their way to the car.

"I didn't want to share this with my wife and daughter," said Baba, " Bvunzai asked for a loan about six months ago to expand his hardware business. I took him at his word and agreed he could start re-paying in six months. I didn't do any credit checks since he is family. Will I get any of it back? It's not a small amount, about 500K. What do you think?"

'I cannot promise anything because as investigations continue, there will probably be others Bvunzai owes money. We’ve known each other a while, and although I am not your lawyer, you are my friend, and we move in the same circles. I just thought I should tell you how the ground lies. I will keep you posted without breaking client confidentiality. As for your daughter, she needs as much support as you can muster because once the matter goes to court, the media will have a field day."

"One last question Mr Mungati," said Baba, "What is going to happen to the workforce in his businesses?"

"Some are already in custody, and one has turned informer. He's singing like a canary. Why do you ask?"

"One of his employees is my nephew. Bvunzai gave him a job in the hardware store, and he was doing so well."

"As far as I know, those in the hardware store are not implicated. It's those who worked in the small computer room at the back where Bvunzai was allegedly operating his scams."

"That's a relief! I wouldn't have known what to say to my sister, who looks up to me. Let me go back inside and try and calm people down. What a mess! Thank you for coming."

Baba had aged in a few hours but outwardly tried to act unperturbed. Much as he wanted to console his daughter, he couldn't help turning judgemental.

"Mai and Jess, what a day! We've no choice but to develop coping mechanisms because the next few weeks/months are going to be rocky. Bvunzai has tarnished our name, and I can’t help but wonder whether his mother knew something about his criminal activities. You know how close they are. Our grandchildren, when are they coming home? Oh! By the way, I’m sorry, you no longer have a home. I suggest you collect them and move in with us until the situation is clearer. I have no intention of visiting Bvunzai in jail. I will, however, be at the trial to support you, Jess."

Jess replied, "Mai and Baba, I am so sorry to involve you in this mess and Baba, I know you have a right to say I told you so. Although you supported me through the marriage, you had expressed reservations about Bvunzai's lineage before we got married. I now realise I didn't know him or his family very well.  I ignored your advice and stubbornly pursued my dream of getting married in style and what a wedding! I never overthought that his income didn't match our lifestyle. I can't believe I fell for such a crook!"

Baba, sounding more consolatory, said,

"You are not the only one who fell for his lies. Your Bvunzai sounds like a local version of the famous 'Hushpuppi,' I'll give him that!"