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. . . Two warrants of arrest were issued against Hazel Mafu during her time as a fugitive
. . . She apppeared to mock the police by posting her photo ‘concluding deals’ in Japan
Yeukai Karengezeka-Chisepo-Court Correspondent
BUSINESSWOMAN Hazel Mafu was on the run for FIVE months, after police arrested her workers, and indicated they also wanted to question her over a number of fraud cases.
Hazel, the founder and CEO of Hazel Motors Logistics, slipped out of the country in March, weeks after police arrested her workers.
The police were also looking for her at the time.
She left the country on March 19 and police say there are no official records to show how and when she returned home.
On April 16, just two days before Independence, she told her Facebook followers she was in Osaka, Japan, concluding some big deals.
“On the other side of the world closing deals and building an empire,” she told her followers and attached her photograph standing with two businessmen.
“This journey has not been easy, but every sacrifice, every sleepless night, every door that was slammed in my face built the woman standing here today.
“To everyone who believed in me, prayed for me, cheered for me quietly and loudly THANK YOU.”
By that time, police had been looking for her for two months.
Police say when they raided her offices in Milton Park, they found electronic gadgets being moved from the offices, in efforts to allegedly cover her tracks.
Hazel, who turns 36 on Saturday, had two warrants of arrest issued against her during her time on the run.
She is being accused of turning her offices in Milton Park, Harare, into a crime scene where she allegedly deceived scores of her clients and duped them US$624,958.96 and ZiG1,275,878.35 in an elaborate fraudulent scheme.
Yesterday, she appeared in court for bail considerations but the State strongly opposed bail, arguing that she is likely to interfere with witnesses, obstruct the course of justice and abscond if released.
Lead investigating officer, Detective Sergeant Richard Maravanyika, told Harare regional magistrate, Jesse Kufa, they obtained a search and seizure warrant to recover evidence from Hezy Motors Logistics’ offices.
However, when detectives arrived at the premises, they intercepted a vehicle carrying electronic gadgets they intended to seize.
Hazel Mafu
Investigations by the police, he said, allegedly revealed that Hazel had ordered that the equipment be removed from the offices before the police search.
Hazel was arrested on Friday, after presenting herself to the police in the company of her lawyer, five months after police started looking for her when they arrested her workers.
“This demonstrates her propensity to interfere with investigations and conceal evidence,” Det Sgt Maravanyika submitted.
The State also produced Hazel’s travel history from the Department of Immigration, which showed that she left Zimbabwe through Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport on March 19, 2026.
The lead investigating officer said this was after police had begun looking for her following the arrest of her employees.
He told the court that there is no official record indicating how Hazel re-entered Zimbabwe before she later presented herself to police in the company of her lawyer.
Det Sgt Maravanyika also informed the court that two warrants of arrest were issued against Hazel on May 14 and July 14 this year after she failed to appear before the courts.
He argued that public confidence in the justice system could be undermined if Hazel is granted bail, given the number of complainants involved and the seriousness of the allegations.
Det Sgt Maravanyika said several complainants reported that Hazel had told them they would not receive their vehicles as long as the matter remained under police investigation.
“In some instances, the accused promised to refund clients as a way of delaying the criminal proceedings,” he told the court.
The detective produced correspondence showing a refund settlement plan dated April 20, 2026, between complainant Charles Tatenda Mademutsa, and the finance department of Hezy Motors Logistics.
The company proposed to refund US$4,000.
The court heard that on February 13, 2026, while police were looking for Hazel, four of her employees appeared in court facing fraud charges, but she remained at large.
Det Sgt Maravanyika told the court that another pending case, involving the company, concerns allegations of obstructing the course of justice.
The State maintains that Hazel poses a significant flight risk and is likely to interfere with witnesses and ongoing investigations if released.
The bail application is expected to continue today with cross examination of the witness by defence counsel Editor Mavuto.
that Hazel was reaching out to complainants, even while she was being sought by police, allegedly discouraging them from pursuing criminal charges.
Prosecutor Lawrence Gangarahwe alleges that between 2022 and the present, Hazel advertised vehicle importation services through various platforms, including social media as well as electronic and print media.
The State alleges that Hazel misrepresented to members of the public that she had the capacity to source and import motor vehicles within agreed timeframes at competitive prices.
Believing the representations to be genuine, scores of individuals allegedly paid varying amounts to Mafu for the purchase and delivery of vehicles.
However, prosecutors say Hazel failed to deliver the vehicles as agreed.
The State alleges Hazel had no intention or capacity to fulfil the orders.
