Prosper Dembedza
Herald Correspondent
HARARE City Council Central Stores despatch clerk Prosper Makusha has appeared in court on allegations of receiving US$15 000 for a certificate of occupation from Ocean Hotel officials before issuing them with a fake receipt.
Makusha (36), who was represented by Mr Enock Nengomasha, faced fraud charges when he appeared before Harare Magistrate Mr Tapiwa Kuhudzai.
He was granted US$100 bail.
The complainant is the Harare City Council, represented by Area Controller for Revenue Collection, Mr Norman Nyakudya.
Makusha’s co-accused—Emmanuel Mashoko, Shingirayi Chiwara, and Julius Muteera—are already in custody after appearing before the Harare Magistrates’ Court last week.
The State’s case is that on May 21, 2026, Mashoko, who worked as a cashier at the Harare City Council’s Mbare Hostels District Offices, was issued a batch of official receipts, serial numbers 16246113 to 16246877, by his supervisor, Ms Chipo Chikanya.
Allegations are that Makusha and his three accomplices hatched a plan to defraud the municipality using the document batch.
Pursuant to their plan, Mashoko allegedly stole 19 receipts, with serial numbers ranging from 16246192 to 16246210, from the official allocation. Mashoko then instructed Chiwara to deliver the stolen receipts to Makusha in exchange for a US$60 payment.
Subsequent investigations revealed that Muteera had been given US$15,479 by Ocean Hotel owner Long Ma to pay the Harare City Council for a certificate of occupation. It is alleged that all the accused persons connived to falsify and generate information on receipt serial number 16246207, purporting that a cash payment of US$15,479 had been made for stand number 19528 STL, Churchill Avenue East, Harare (Ocean Hotel).
The receipt was printed from external sources and was not captured within the Harare City Council revenue system.
The accused persons unlawfully took the US$15,479 and shared the proceeds among themselves, missing municipal revenues and prejudicing the council.
