Three suspected hackers granted bail

Yeukai Karengezeka

Court Correspondent

THREE suspected hackers from Bulawayo who attempted to defraud a local security company, Real Star, of US$190 000, have been granted US$100 bail each.

Gladstone Mthulisi Tshabalala, Dalumuzi Masotsha Moyo and Manase Manjovha yesterday appeared before Harare magistrate, Ms Patricia Kamwanda, facing charges of fraud.

They were advised to return to court today for possible trial date allocation.

The complainant is Real Star Security Company, represented by Mr Cephas Ngorima.

Prosecution alleged that the trio hacked into the complainant’s mobile banking credentials on September 2 and attempted to replace the Sim card linked to EcoCash at Econet Wireless Zimbabwe.

The court heard that the accused persons approached an Econet agent, Taurai Mushamba, on September 12, requesting to replace the complainant’s Econet line.

However, Mushamba became suspicious and alerted the complainant and the police, leading to the arrest of the three accused persons in Norton.

The alleged identity card used in the attempted fraud was recovered from the Econet agent. The trio intended to transfer money from the complainant’s Nedbank account, which holds US$190 000.