Online Reporter
Yeukai Karengezeka-Chisepo
Court Correspondent
A BULAWAYO-BASED company director has appeared in court on allegations of defrauding Varichem Pharmaceuticals Private Limited of US$125 000 after manipulating an e-mail and diverting payment meant for a Kenyan financial institution into his own bank account.
Belene Ncube, a director of Malaba Solutions, was yesterday granted US$500 bail when he appeared before Harare regional magistrate Mrs Marehwanazvo Gofa facing fraud charges.
The complainant is Varichem Pharmaceuticals Private Limited, represented by its chief finance officer, Patricia Wadzanai Kamangirira.
Prosecutor Mr Lawrence Gangarahwe alleged that in August 2026, Varichem intended to make a US$125 000 payment for services rendered by the Eastern and Southern African Trade and Development Bank (TDB), based in Kenya.
The court heard that on August 14, 2026, Varichem received an email from a person identifying himself as Sabelo Nkambule, purportedly a TDB representative, with an invoice for US$125 000.
The payment was initially supposed to be deposited into TDB’s Standard Chartered Bank account in the United Kingdom.
However, about 20 minutes later, Varichem allegedly received another email from an address resembling the TDB email address, instructing the company to change the banking details.
The new instructions directed Varichem to deposit the money into an NBS Bank Zimbabwe account allegedly belonging to TDB.
The court heard that on August 26, Varichem approved the payment and deposited the US$125 000 into the NBS Bank account.
Ncube allegedly gained access to the funds and used part of the money to purchase goods locally.
The fraud was allegedly discovered the following day when Varichem made a follow-up with its client and established that the payment had not reached TDB.
A police report was subsequently made.
The State alleges that Ncube’s actions resulted in Varichem suffering an actual loss of US$125 000.
However, US$50 000 has so far been recovered, leaving US$75 000 outstanding.
