Crimes and Courts
HARARE – A forensic expert’s testimony has squarely implicated Ministry of Industry and Commerce principal economist Fanuel Muzavazi in a criminal abuse of office case, revealing that dozens of signatures on fraudulent vehicle import licences were penned by a single individual.
The trial of three Ministry officials—Andrew Mateveke (licence clerk), Webster Mondiwa (deputy director of administration), and Muzavazi—resumed this week in the Harare Regional Magistrates’ Court.
The trio faces charges of illegally issuing over 200 import licences to unqualified individuals, violating Statutory Instrument 89 of 2021, which mandates special permits for vehicles older than 10 years.
Forensic specialist Kurauone Madzivanyika, testifying before Regional Magistrate Taurai Manwere, detailed how advanced imaging tools tied Muzavazi to the scheme.
“Using a Canon EOS 650D camera with a 60mm lens and high-magnification microscopes, I analyzed 77 questioned signatures,” he said.
“All shared consistent characteristics, confirming they were authored by one person—Mr. Muzavazi.”
Madzivanyika further noted that Muzavazi’s 20 sample signatures (8 standard, 12 requested) matched the fraudulent documents.
“The general and individual features—slant, spacing, stroke patterns—were identical,” he asserted.
His testimony concluded the State’s case, with a ruling on the discharge application set for June 23.
Prosecutors allege that in April 2021, Mondiwa diverted four licence books after being tasked with distributing 17 to Ministry offices.
These books were allegedly used by the trio to issue permits to applicants who did not meet legal criteria. Muzavazi, as the designated signatory, reportedly approved all licences without due diligence.
The scam unraveled when Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) officials flagged suspicious permits.
Despite this, Mateveke allegedly vouched for their authenticity, even though the Bulawayo office—where they were purportedly issued—had never received the allocated books.
Prosecutors argue the scheme undermined regulatory efforts to control vehicle imports and protect local industry.
“The accused abused their authority, prejudicing both the state and legitimate importers,” said the prosecution.
Magistrate Manwere emphasized the gravity of the charges, which carry potential prison sentences, while urging thorough scrutiny of the evidence.
The case has cast a spotlight on corruption risks within Zimbabwe’s import control systems. If convicted, the officials could face up to 15 years in jail under the Criminal Law Code.
Should the discharge application fail on June 23, the defense will present its case. Meanwhile, ZIMRA continues to tighten licence verification processes to curb fraud.
“This trial is a litmus test for accountability in public office,” said legal analyst Tinashe Chikara.
“The forensic evidence is damning, but the court must now weigh its admissibility.”
This article will be updated as the trial progresses.
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