Online Reporter
Yeukai Karengezeka-Chisepo
Court Correspondent
HARARE regional magistrate Mr Francis Mapfumo has ruled that three men accused of attempting to defraud the Grain Marketing Board of more than US$1,3 million have a case to answer, placing them on their defence.
The ruling follows the dismissal of an application for discharge at the close of the State case by the accused Dennis Nhapata, Challenge Phiri and Joshua Israel.
The matter has been remanded to April 27 for continuation of trial.
A fourth suspect, Ogbonria Simeon, was discharged at the close of the State’s case.
The complainant is GMB, represented by its integrity officer, Mr Misheck Mupondiwa.
Prosecutor Mrs Heather Mhlanga Muokoto told the court that the accused allegedly crafted a sophisticated scheme involving a hacked GMB e-mail account to initiate fraudulent bank transactions.
It is alleged that on September 9, 2024, the trio used the compromised email to send a fake Real-Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) application to CBZ Bank’s Selous Branch, instructing the transfer of US$1,2 million from GMB’s account to Success Microfinance Bank.
However, the transaction was flagged after CBZ Bank sought confirmation from GMB, which denied authorising the transfer.
On the same day, the court heard, the accused allegedly attempted a second transaction using a Zimbabwe Electronic Transfer and Settlement System (ZETSS) payment form sent to AFC Bank’s Nelson Mandela Branch in Harare.
They instructed the transfer of US$150 000 from GMB’s AFC account to the same recipient bank.
Although the funds were transferred, they were recovered before any withdrawal could be made.
Mr Mupondiwa, in a prior court sitting, testified that he was alerted to the suspicious activity on September 10, 2024, by his superior, Mr Alex Muzambi, prompting an internal investigation.
His inquiries led him to Success Microfinance Bank, located at Karigamombe Building in Harare, where bank officials revealed that the funds had been deposited into an “investment treasury account” held by one Brain Mabuto.
The court heard that Mabuto had approached the bank claiming ownership of the funds and sought to withdraw the money in cash.
In a coordinated effort with investigators, bank officials contacted Mabuto under the pretext that the funds were ready for collection. He subsequently visited the bank around 2pm.
During questioning, Mabuto allegedly disclosed that the funds belonged to Nhapata, who had requested to use his account for the transactions.
