A man who claims to be from Tanzania arrived in Harare on Tuesday in search of people who allegedly buy human toes for ritual purposes.

Robison Mwinuka, who does not have a passport, said he had travelled by bus all the way from Dar es Salaam, desperate to make a fortune.

This follows recent reports that ritualists were buying human toes in Zimbabwe for thousands of United States dollars.

The reports, however, proved to be a hoax after the only person who claimed to be an agent of the “toe buyers” later recanted his earlier assertion, saying he was drunk.

Mwinuka, who claims to be a bus driver in his home country, said he came to Zimbabwe to try and sell his toe if the prices are right. He said:

In Tanzania, there is this rich man who told us that he got rich mysteriously after coming here to sell his toes.

He refused to give me the finer details but just said ‘Go to Harare, Zimbabwe,’ and you will be told where the person is.

Mwinuka now faces the challenge of having to find the money to enable him to travel back home to Tanzania after he was told that the “toes-for-sale” reports were false.

He reportedly pleaded with the H Metro reporter not to hand him to the police.

A Ximex cellphone dealer, David “Zhula” Kaseke, who was recorded, in a video, suggesting he was aware of the trade, was arrested and dragged before a magistrate.

Kaseke (40), of Mufakose, Harare, was charged with criminal nuisance. He was granted $10 000 bail.