Online Reporter
Court Correspondent
Police have launched a manhunt for cyber fraud suspect Manase Manjovha after a Harare magistrate, Ms Tilda Mazhande, issued a warrant for his arrest when he failed to appear in court on Wednesday.
Manjovha (41) is one of three men accused of trying to defraud a private security company of US$190 000 through an internet banking scam in 2024.
Co-accused Gladson Mthulusi Tshabalala (40) appeared in the company of his legal counsel while the court heard that the third accused, Dalumuzi Moyo, had since died.
Ms Mazhande deferred the matter to February 20, 2026, to allow police to locate Manjovha amid suspicion he could have skipped bail.
Ms Heather Mhlanga-Muokoto is prosecuting.
According to the State, the scheme was orchestrated in September 2024 when Manjovha received a call from his friend, Mlungisi Ndlovu a suspected serial fraudster believed to be hiding in South Africa.
Ndlovu allegedly told Manjovha he had obtained the mobile banking login credentials for Real Star Security, as well as a Zimbabwean national identity card belonging to the company director.
To execute the plan, Ndlovu reportedly instructed that they also needed the Econet mobile line linked to the company’s Nostro account to generate a one-time password (OTP) required to authorise large online banking transactions.
On September 3, Manjovha and his co-accused allegedly received the company director’s ID card, which Ndlovu had sent via bus from South Africa.
On September 12, the trio approached Mushamba, requesting a SIM replacement for the company director’s mobile line.
Though they didn’t collect the line themselves, they allegedly sent an accomplice, Jeff Chipwanyira, to pick it up.
Mushamba became suspicious and alerted the police, leading to Chipwanyira’s arrest.
Chipwanyira cooperated with investigators and helped set up a trap for the suspects who were arrested on September 13, 2024, in Norton.
Police had to fire gunshots into the air as the suspects attempted to flee when they were cornered.
