Crimes and Courts
BULAWAYO – Three individuals have been dragged before the Bulawayo Regional Court facing charges of fraud and money laundering for their alleged involvement in a scheme that siphoned US$34,500 intended for the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe’s (RBZ) exhibition stand at the Harare Agricultural Show.
The accused are Rubbie Chinanai (54), Ashel Chinanai (35), both from Bulawayo, and Tichawanda Kevin Chinyande (31) from Harare. According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), the trio, along with accomplices still at large, allegedly hacked the email account of Kutting Edge Events, the legitimate contractor hired by the RBZ.
Prosecutors detailed that the suspects altered the contractor’s banking details, diverting two payments of US$17,250 each into Rubbie Chinanai’s Stanbic Bank account between late August and early September.
The NPA stated that the money was then quickly laundered through a series of transactions.
“Investigations showed Rubbie transferred US$6,500 to Ashel’s NMB account, who then deposited part of the funds into Chinyande’s ZB account on instructions from a fugitive suspect, Anold Kasasa,” the authority said.
A further US$6,500 was allegedly sent to a contact in South Africa via a money transfer service, while Ashel reportedly received a US$250 commission.
The court granted the trio bail under strict conditions, including a US$150 deposit each, weekly police reporting, and a order not to interfere with witnesses. Chinyande was additionally ordered to surrender his passport. The case has been remanded to September 30.
In a statement, the NPA warned,
“Cyber-enabled fraud and money laundering are growing threats that undermine trust in financial systems. Those who abuse technology to siphon public funds will be prosecuted.”
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