Online Reporter
A BRANCH manager and loans officer employed by a local financial services company have appeared in court facing fraud and money laundering charges after allegedly creating ghost accounts and using them to access loans worth about US$200 000.
Takudzwa Blessing Chikwature, the branch manager, and Michael Tinashe Mwoyondewenyu, a loans officer, appeared before Harare regional magistrate Mrs Estere Chivasa.
They were each granted US$200 bail and will return to court on September 1 for routine remand proceedings in Chegutu.
Oakfin Finance (Pvt) Ltd, represented by its head of credit and administration, Mr Dzingai Magama, is the complainant on the fraud charge.
The State alleges that on July 27, 2026, Belindah Ndlovu, who is employed by the company as a credit control officer, detected irregularities involving loan information on the company’s system relating to its Chegutu branch.
The branch is allegedly managed by Chikwature, while Mwoyondewenyu works as a loans officer.
Ndlovu reportedly questioned Mwoyondewenyu about the anomalies, but he denied any involvement in tampering with the company’s system.
On August 8, 2026, Magama, together with Ndlovu, allegedly travelled to Chegutu to verify the loan information with the two accused persons.
The State alleges that after conducting a thorough verification, they discovered that the accused had allegedly created ghost accounts which were made to appear as genuine clients eligible to apply for loans.
It is alleged that the two accused were in control of the accounts and, on different occasions, used them to apply for loans.
After the loans were approved and disbursed, the accused allegedly collected the money and converted it to their personal use.
The State alleges that the total amount involved in the alleged fraud was about US$200 000.
Four motor vehicles allegedly purchased using proceeds of the fraud, with a combined value of US$16 000, were recovered from the accused persons and are being held at CID Chegutu as exhibits.
On the second count of money laundering, the State is represented by Detective Assistant Inspector Murandu of the CID Asset Forfeiture Unit, Northern Region.
The State alleges that between January and August 2026, the accused acquired loans through fraudulent activities and used part of the money to buy four vehicles.
The vehicles are a cream Honda Fit, a silver Honda Fit, a white Nissan Caravan and a white Honda Fit.
All four vehicles were subsequently recovered from the accused and are being held as exhibits.
