Online Reporter
Prosper Dembedza
Herald Correspondent
TWO Harare men have appeared in court on allegations of swindling members of the public by purporting to be recruiting agents for the Ministry of Health and Child Care nursing recruiters at various Nursing Schools around the country.
Panashe Sanyika and Erice Tazvinzwa (77) were facing two counts of fraud when they appeared before Harare magistrate Mr Tapiwa Kuhudzai.
Tazvinzwa was remanded out of custody while Sanyika was remanded in custody pending bail hearing.
On the first count, the complainant is Ireen Phiri (52). Allegations are that the two accused persons, acting in connivance with Edith Chidhakwa, who is still at large, hatched a plan to defraud members of the public by purporting to be recruiting agents for the Ministry of Health and Child Care nursing recruiters at various Nursing Schools around the country.
Armed with this criminal mind, they posted on various WhatsApp groups that they were offering nursing intakes for US$1 000 per person.
Sometime in September 2026, the complainant, after seeing the advert, responded and was directed to Sanyika’s WhatsApp mobile number 0711 681 630.
The court heard that Sanyika confirmed that he was indeed an agent for nursing intake at various nursing schools in Zimbabwe on behalf of the ministry.
The complainant asked for a discount, and Sanyika charged a US$800 recruiting fee and US$15 for the nursing uniform; the complainant complied and paid the money to Sanyika and the second accused person.
It is alleged that Sanyika promised that the nursing place would be available in two weeks’ time.
However, after 2 weeks, nothing materialised, and the complainant later learnt that the Ministry of Health and Child Care does not employ recruiting agents when recruiting its students, prompting the complainant to file a police report.
On the second count, the complainant is Ireen Guza (48), employed at Simscore Cleaning Services as a supervisor.
It is the State’s case Sanyika and Tazvinzwa together with Edith Chidhakwa hatched a plan to defraud members of the public of the public by purporting to be recruiting agents for the Ministry of Health and Chitd Care nursing recruiters at various Nursing Schools around the country.
They then posted on various WhatsApp groups that they were offering nursing intakes for US$1 000 per person.
Sometime in September 2026, the complainant responded to the advert and was directed to the first accused’s WhatsApp mobile number 0711 681 630 and the first accused confirmed that indeed he was an agent for nursing intake at various nursing schools in Zimbabwe on behalf of the ministry.
The complainant asked for a discount, and Sanyika reduced the recruitment fee to US$700 and US$65 for the nursing uniform; the complainant then paid the money to Sanyika and the old man.
It is alleged that Sanyika promised that the nursing place would be available in two weeks’ time.
However, after two weeks, nothing materialised, and the complainant later learnt that the Ministry of Health and Child Care does not employ recruiting agents when recruiting its students, prompting the complainant to file a police report.
The total value of the prejudice is US$765 and nothing was recovered.
