Former finance minister and seasoned politician Dr Simba Makoni has narrowly avoided falling victim to a US$1 million extortion scam carried out by fraudsters posing as Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) officials.
The scheme was orchestrated by Felix Rimaunga and Brian Nyazamba, who were this week handed eight-year prison terms by Harare regional magistrate Taurai Manuwere. Parts of their sentences were suspended on condition they compensate victims and maintain good conduct.
The duo, working with two accomplices still on the run, targeted high-profile figures including former Harare mayor Elias Mudzuri, NetOne CEO Raphael Mushanawani, Africawide Zimbabwe’s Douglas Chiimba, and medical practitioner Dr Guzha. Victims were threatened with bogus corruption, murder, or sexual assault charges unless they paid bribes to “clear their names.”
Dr Makoni was falsely accused of breaching Exchange Control Regulations and was instructed to pay Z$1 million into a fake bank account registered under a non-existent “Talent Murape.”
Prosecutors revealed Nyazamba’s role was to profile victims, while Rimaunga and his partners forged documents and set up fraudulent bank accounts to make the scam appear credible.
Other victims were also approached Mudzuri was told to pay US$2,000 over a fabricated murder case, while Mushanawani was pressured to surrender 10% of assets allegedly recovered from a dishonest cashier.
Dr Makoni, a long-time advocate of transparency in public service, said the case serves as a reminder for citizens to remain alert against scams exploiting trust in law enforcement.
Out of the eight years, Rimaunga and Nyazamba will serve an effective one-and-a-half years in jail, with the remainder suspended on strict conditions. Their alleged accomplices, Fortune Torima and Jacob Kuzinya, remain at large.
