Online Reporter
Freeman Razemba
Senior Reporter
A 39-year-old suspected serial fraudster has been arrested on allegations of duping a financial service provider of more than US$91 500 in a loan scam.
The suspect, Lionel Tanaka Zvarivadza, is facing fraud charges under the Criminal Law Codification and Reform Act and also contravening the Money Laundering and Proceeds of Crime Act.
Circumstances are that the suspect agreed with a financial service provider under which loans would be issued to employees of a private security company at a monthly interest rate.
Investigations revealed that the security company would allegedly deduct the loan repayments from employees’ salaries on a monthly basis and remit them to the lender.
The suspect went on to recruit 35 people from the street before misrepresenting them to the complainant as security company employees.
Following the misrepresentation and the provision of confirmation letters, the complainant disbursed loans ranging from US$1 000 to US$5 000 and the funds were handed over to the suspect.
The complainant later discovered that the loans were not being serviced as agreed, prompting him to make enquiries with the security company, only to discover that he had been defrauded, and that the alleged employees were not company employees and that the company did not enter into such an arrangement.
A police report was made, leading to the arrest of the suspect on March 18, 2026. In a statement, Criminal Investigations Department spokesperson Detective Inspector Rachel Muteweri said: “The suspect, Lionel Tanaka Zvarivadza, is set to appear in Court on March 20, 2026.
“Total value prejudiced is US$91 500 and nothing was recovered. The Zimbabwe Republic Police continue to urge the transacting public to be wary of fraudsters who masquerade as authentic before making any transaction.”
