Online Reporter
Court Correspondent
ONE of three men who sought to defraud a private security firm of US$229 000 through an elaborate internet banking scam has been sentenced to 12 months in prison by a Harare court. Harare regional magistrate, Mrs Tilda Mazhande.
Mrs Mazahande initially imposed a 30-month jail sentence on Gladston Mthulisi Tshabalala (40) before suspending 18 months on condition of good behaviour.
Tshabalala’s co-accused, Manase Manjovha, absconded before the trial concluded and is presently on the run, with a warrant already issued for his arrest.
The third suspect, Dalumuzi Moyo, died during the course of the case.
Tshabalala was convicted based on overwhelming evidence retrieved from the trio’s mobile phones, which revealed their scheme to defraud Real Star Security in September 2024.
An Econet agent, Mr Taurai Mushamba, provided critical testimony during the trial that exposed the fraudulent plot. Real Star Security manager Mr Cephas Ngorima was the complainant, while Mrs Heather Mhlanga-Muokoto handled the prosecution.
According to the State’s case, on September 12, 2024, Manjovha approached Mr Mushamba, who operates an Econet booth at the corner of First Street Mall and George Silundika Avenue in Harare, requesting a SIM card replacement for a line registered to the security company’s director.
This line was linked to the company’s Nedbank nostro account. Mr Mushamba demanded that the person requesting the SIM card replacement provide identification and proof of address matching the original registration details.
Shortly afterwards, Tshabalala, Manjovha and Moyo approached Mr Mushamba, falsely claiming that one of them was the legitimate owner of the line.
However, Mr Mushamba became suspicious when the trio failed to provide matching details and noticed they did not resemble the individual on the national identity card presented.
Sensing danger, the trio fled in their vehicle when Mr Mushamba went to report the matter at the nearest police station.
Later, Jefferes Chipwanyira approached Mr Mushamba and offered him a US$50 bribe to facilitate the SIM card replacement.
However, Mr Mushamba alerted the police, leading to Chipwanyira’s arrest. During interrogation, Chipwanyira admitted he had been sent by Manjovha and agreed to assist investigators in apprehending the suspects.
The following day, law enforcement from Harare Central Police Station and Harare Homicide set a trap for the trio with Chipwanyira’s help.
They instructed him to call Manjovha, Tshabalala, and Moyo, informing them that the SIM card and a one-time password (OTP) needed to access the company’s accounts were ready.
The suspects travelled from Bulawayo to Harare but were intercepted by police in Norton. They attempted to flee, abandoning their vehicle, but were apprehended.
Police seized the vehicle and four mobile phones, which were sent for forensic examination at the Cyber Laboratory.
Investigators discovered incriminating evidence on the devices, linking the suspects to the attempted fraud.
The State outlined that the trio had plotted to use the OTP to transfer US$229 000 from Real Star Security’s account, but their plans were thwarted by swift police action.
