Fraudster’s fake diploma unravels in spectacular fall

THIS week’s spotlight shines brightly on Joseph Mufambisi, a man whose career at the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission (NPRC) skyrocketed on the wings of a phantom diploma, only to come crashing down when reality set in.

The 46-year-old fraudster, with a penchant for falsifying documents, thought he could hoodwink his way into a plum job at the NPRC.

Mufambisi fancied himself a master of deception and applied for an internal auditor position at the commission in 2021.

The job required a legitimate degree or a Higher National Diploma in Accountancy.

What did this mampara do?

In his job application, he claimed he had the diploma in his grasp, though, in reality, it existed only in his imagination.

Despite his obvious lack of qualifications, Mufambisi managed to slip through the cracks and secure the position. He charmed his way through interviews and was appointed on September 29, 2021.

Once he was in, he thought he could coast along, but his charade began to unravel like a deck of cards when the NPRC’s human resources department requested to see his elusive certificate.

Mufambisi, quick on his feet, spun a tale of a tragic accident that had supposedly robbed him of his academic treasure. An internal audit in March 2022 turned up the heat. It was revealed that Mufambisi’s academic record was a patchwork of incomplete courses — he had barely scrapped through four out of 11 subjects required for his diploma. The facade of competency he had built came crashing down, exposing the NPRC to administrative chaos and a sense of betrayal. Justice, swift and sure, followed. Facing Harare’s regional magistrate Mr Donald Ndirowei, Mufambisi was fined a neat US$300 — a small price for the enormous lie he tried to live. The cherry on top?

If he fails to cough up the cash, he will be enjoying a six-month stay in the cosy confines of a jail cell at Chikurubi Maximum Prison, where there is no need for any diplomas, fake or otherwise.

Mufambisi’s tale is a warning against cutting corners and a testament to the fact that, while you can fake many things, a solid education and genuine skill are not on the list.