Online Reporter
Yeukai Karengezeka
Court Correspondent
A SUSPECTED cryptocurrency dealer and thief, Melissa Messe Samantha Chiyangwa, has been denied bail by Harare regional magistrate, Mrs Marehwanazvo Gofa, after failing to present compelling reasons to justify her release.
Chiyangwa will remain in custody until July 15 as investigations continue.
It is alleged that Chiyangwa, along with her husband, Lloyd Chiyangwa, who is also on remand awaiting trial, defrauded prominent eye surgeon Dr Solomon Guramatunhu of cryptocurrency tokens worth US$583 660, 24.
According to the State, Dr Guramatunhu bought cryptocurrency in 2020 while in India from a United Kingdom-based company. Upon returning to Zimbabwe, he enlisted Lloyd Chiyangwa to assist in setting up five cryptocurrency wallets: Trust Wallet, Exodus, Cosmostation, Wemix, and Metamask.
Between October 31, 2021, and January 7 last year, Melissa and Lloyd Chiyangwa allegedly conspired to steal tokens from Dr Guramatunhu’s Metamask wallet by gaining unauthorised access to its address.
The stolen tokens were subsequently transferred to the Waybit exchange.
The theft was discovered on January 27 last year, when Dr Guramatunhu attempted to transfer the tokens to another wallet.
Melissa reportedly used multiple devices, including an iPhone 14, iPhone 12 Pro, Linux U, Macintoshes, and Android phones, to execute the fraudulent transactions.
Investigators allege she is still transferring tokens to several destinations using these devices, which are yet to be recovered.
