Elie Bumba travelled around brand new Zealand wooing and conference men he came across through different apps that are dating. Then he took exactly what cash, cards as well as other products he might get from their store.

It had been a life style of deception and duplicity that earned the Hamilton 22-year-old about $24,000 in unlawful takings and, finally, a 22-month stint in prison.

But their unwitting dates had been perhaps not the only real victims of Elie Dongala Bumba’s penchant for pinching cash that don’t participate in him. Flatmates and also their very own grandmother became his objectives. As a whole he stole or swindled from 13 individuals or organisations.

Bumba’s tale ended up being revealed at their sentencing when you look at the Hamilton District Court on Tuesday, where he showed up for a raft of fees including causing loss by deception, and employing a document for pecuniary benefit.

The initial of his dates ended up being a person whom he linked to through the app that is dating in June 2016. After investing the evening in the guy’s house, Bumba took two debit cards – one individual, one for the guy’s company – and proceeded a $743 investing spree using them.

But that has been simply the begin.

Utilizing a comparable modus operandi the next thirty days, Bumba connected by having an Auckland man even though at their home took their charge card, that he utilized in order to make 98 acquisitions totalling $4846.

The exact same thirty days he discovered another target in Hamilton through Grindr, and took that guy’s bank card from their wallet, which he utilized for acquisitions well worth $403.

Early August that year netted A grindr that is fourth date Auckland, from who he took another bank card. This time around the spend-up had been $1269.

That target became alert to the unauthorised deals but ended up being unaware it was their intercourse partner, additionally the set proceeded to see one another.

In March 2017 that guy went along to the Southern Island even though he was down there Bumba made acquisitions for a various card in Auckland, and exposed reports with Vodafone and 2 levels Cellphone, incurring debts in excess of $3000.

He met and took another Auckland target’s card from the bedside dining table in October 2016. Then your month that is following utilized the dating app Hornet to meet up with another target, who he saw many times throughout the after months.

Bumba swiped US$1100 (about NZ$1645) in money from that guy’s bedside cabinet and got their charge card details. On that event really the only purchase had been a $20 Vodafone top-up.

At the beginning of 2017 still another target ended up being found. His charge card details had been removed by Bumba and 110 acquisitions of meals, phone credit and transportation services totalling $5662 followed – all without utilization of the card that is actual.

In February 2018 Bumba utilized Grindr to get another target. Bumba booked space during the Astelia resort in Wellington and it also had been here they came across.

Afterwards, while that guy had been having a bath, Bumba photographed their motorist’s licence. He later attempted to make use of the facts from that licence to try to get subscriptions having a motor car leasing service and a charge card. We were holding declined but applications for Vodafone and 2 Degrees reports proved better to get. He racked up debts in excess of $3000 on it.

Similar misdeeds occurred immediately after, with Bumba’s flatmate in Auckland and therefore flatmate’s nephew while the victims.

But before Bumba turned to swindling guys he cheated their grandmother that is own had raised him since he had been eight yrs old – by firmly taking her eftpos card and going on a investing spree towards the tune of $1784 between August and October in 2015.

Their grandmother was at medical center in the right time, and just heard bout exactly what occurred whenever she got down.

And previous, in February 2015, Bumba and an associate at work obtained a loan that is fraudulent GE cash, that has been deposited into their Kiwibank banking account.

The lender picked through to discrepancies within the application for the loan and documents and most of the funds had been came back to GE Money before Bumba and their buddy had an opportunity to invest it.

In court, Bumba’s attorney Mark Sturm said their customer was in fact prepared to be involved in restorative justice conferences together with his victims together with met with one, where he had received “a large reaction”.

Sturm additionally alluded to terrible events in Bumba’s past which had assisted to contour their current circumstances, however these are not expanded on in court.

“This defendant hasn’t had it effortless in life,” he stated.

As Judge Kim Saunders noted when sentencing Bumba, while their back ground might make it possible to explain their behavior, it would not excuse it.

No target ended up being available where he could provide a phrase of home or community detention, therefore jail was the sole outcome that is possible.