Man Runs Bogus Pilot, Cabin Crew Training Programme

By Yeukai Karengezeka, Sunday Mail - A HARARE individual has been brought to court charged with allegedly fleecing aspiring aviation students with false access to pilot and cabin crew training.

Ntobeko Chinhoi (29) has allegedly impersonated a true aviation trainer and misrepresented himself as taking students to gain pilot and cabin crew training courses, collecting fee payments in advance.

Self-employed Chinhoi was reported to be running an unregistered aviation company called Royal Chinhoi Aviation from a 12th floor cubicle in Joina City in central Harare.

He appeared before Harare magistrate Ms Ruth Moyo on charges of fraud. Chinhoi was released on US$100 bail and will reappear in court on May 15.

The case came to light after Mr Leonard Chibamhu, a member of the Zimbabwe Republic Police stationed at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport, reported Chinhoi’s activities.

Prosecutor Ms Nomsa Kangara told the court that last year, Chinhoi created a TikTok account under the name Royal Chinhoi Aviation, advertising pilot and cabin crew training programmes in Zimbabwe, South Africa, Poland, and India.

He allegedly used the site to entice students and organized a seminar on April 12 this year at RGM International Airport to promote his services.

He charged seminar participants US$2 to join the exercise at the Hotplate Airport Restaurant.

During the seminar, Chinhoi was confronted by the informant, who questioned the legality of his business.

When Chinhoi was unable to provide evidence of registration or authorisation to conduct such recruitment exercises, he was arrested on the spot. Sunday Mail