A commodity broker, Tapiwa Zawanda, has been brought before the court on charges of fraud and money laundering after allegedly hacking into the bank account of a local company and embezzling US$102,000.
Zawanda, aged 45, appeared before Harare regional magistrate Mrs Marehwanazvo Gofa and was remanded in custody pending his bail application.
The complainant in the case is Northern Explosives Company, a supplier of explosives material and electrical goods, represented by its director, Mr. Newton King. According to the prosecution, between June 6 a
nd June 8 of this year, Zawanda conspired with an accomplice known as “Cliff” (who is still at large) to hack into Northern Explosives’ nostro bank account.
Without authorization, Zawanda initiated several bank transfers totaling US$102,024 to various bank accounts, including his own First Capital Bank account, where he transferred US$50,000.
He then transferred US$40,000 from his First Capital account to a Strauss Logistics nostro Ecobank account at the request of Lisa Maria Mutuke.
Subsequently, Zawanda collected the equivalent amount in cash from Mutuke and shared the proceeds with her and other involved parties. While US$40,000 was recovered, the company suffered a loss of US$102,024.
Zawanda’s bail application is currently pending, and he remains in custody. The case highlights the growing threat of cybercrime and emphasizes the need for increased security measures to protect individuals and businesses from such fraudulent activities.