Online Reporter
THREE Harare City Council employees appeared in court on Friday on allegations of defrauding the city of more than ZiG5,9 million through a scheme involving fake proof of payments and fraudulent entries on the council’s online payment system.
The accused are acting chief clerical officer Enias Muringami and cashiers—Melody Sevenzai and Lameck Chakwana.
They appeared before Harare regional magistrate Mrs Marehwanazvo Gofa and were each granted US$300 bail.
The State, led by Mr Lawrence Gangarahwe, alleges that between March 2025 and February 2026, the three connived to defraud the City of Harare through the use of fake proof of payments.
It is alleged that Muringami, who had authority to upload bank statements onto the council’s payment system, manipulated the system by creating fictitious deposits which were then made available for allocation.
According to the State, Muringami allegedly sourced ratepayers with substantial arrears and offered them an opportunity to clear their debts at a discount if they paid cash in foreign currency.
He allegedly uploaded fake bulk deposits into the RTGS system in the names of Adam & Co, Adam and Co Pvt Ltd, Vallage International, KR Enterprises, Frein Pvt Ltd, Alberline Enterprises and Dulwich Properties.
The State alleges that Sevenzai and Chakwana would then create and present fake proof of payments to senior clerical officers who had authority to process transactions on the online payment platform.
Once the fictitious deposits had been uploaded, the two allegedly presented the fake proof of payments for processing, resulting in the generation of receipt vouchers despite no corresponding payments having been made into the City of Harare’s bank accounts.
The fraudulent transactions allegedly benefited several ratepayers, including Centennial Trust, Omarshati Heirs, FM & M Omarshah, Shahine Pvt Ltd, L Mabhodho, Salamis Enterprises Pvt Ltd, Thelron Investments Pvt Ltd, GN Mabena, Manumite Investments Pvt Ltd, Quirad Investments, Shoprite Properties Pvt Ltd, HP Horstmann Bhikhubal & Sons Ltd, Rime Enterprises, Guard Alert Properties, M Chibvuri, Samson Antonio, Arab Investments Pvt Ltd, CM Chikwende, Tapiwanashe Housing Company, R Town House, Rodwell Gwaka, Financial Gazette, Straight Consultancy, Z.X.U. Pelyg, Tombreak Trading Pvt Ltd, Strarisc Pvt Ltd, P Morar Investments Pvt Ltd, Chedon Investments and Currajon Investments Pvt Ltd.
The State further alleges that senior clerical officers processed the transactions after relying on the fake representations by Muringami that the money had been deposited into the City of Harare’s bank account.
The officers would then allegedly allocate the fictitious deposits to the respective accounts and generate receipt vouchers.
Acting in common purpose, the accused persons misrepresented to the City of Harare that it had received revenue due to it, when in actual fact they had received the money in cash and used it for their personal benefit.
The council was allegedly prejudiced of ZiG5 912 214,50, which the State said was equivalent to approximately US$227 392,80 at the time.
Nothing was recovered, according to the State.
