Online Reporter
Yeukai Karengezeka-Chisepo
Court Correspondent
A National Social Security Authority (NSSA) compliance inspector has appeared in court facing allegations of soliciting a US$4 000 bribe from Mother Touch Group of Schools in exchange for helping the institution evade a US$16 000 penalty for the late reporting of a workplace accident.
Chakanyuka Tarwirei appeared before the Harare Magistrates’ Court on Friday charged with fraud.
He was remanded in custody until Monday for a bail ruling. According to the State, the complainant is Mother Touch Group of Schools, represented by its estate manager.
The State allege that in February 2025, the estate manager sustained a knee injury while on duty and underwent surgery at Avenues Clinic. After recovering, he presented himself to NSSA for injury assessment and compensation, receiving US$2 500 and ZWG800.
The State alleges that in June 2026, Tarwirei, while carrying out his duties, accessed information on the NSSA database indicating that the school had reported the workplace accident outside the statutory reporting period.
It is alleged that he contacted the estate manager, identified himself as an NSSA employee and informed him that the school was liable to pay a US$16 000 penalty for the late submission.
He allegedly requested to be linked to the school”s human resources manager. On July 6, 2026, Tarwirei allegedly contacted the school’s chief executive officer, Ms Salome Mutsinze, and demanded a US$4 000 bribe, promising to remove the record from the system so that the school would avoid paying the penalty.
The court heard that Ms Mutsinze referred him back to the estate manager, after which Tarwirei allegedly continued following up on the payment.
The matter was reported to the police on July 9, 2026, leading to a trap operation that resulted in Tarwirei’s arrest.
