Zimbabwe’s Mnangagwa Named In U.S. $500K Fraud Case

Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s name was allegedly used in a botched deal which resulted in a Harare man losing US$488, 000.

According to a Zimbabwean news daily, a suspected fraudster, Eustine Charambira (33) appeared in court accused of duping a Harare man Erasmus Chimbumu of US$488, 000 in a mining chemical deal.

The accused is alleged to have told Chimbumu that she could only deliver after he gave her a deposit of US$1 million since the deal included the head of state Mnangagwa and some unnamed army generals who needed their part of the share.

The prosecutors initially consented to $50 000 but made a U-turn on its decision after establishing that Charambira had previous convictions for similar offences according to the Zimbabwean news daily.

It is alleged that last October, Charambira was approached by the complainant, who wanted to buy mining chemicals. This was after he was referred by one of his suppliers, Ragu Sivaragas.

Charambira told the complainant that, indeed, she had a company that imported the chemicals from the United Kingdom through Durban, South Africa, where they would collect them into the country.

It is alleged that the complainant told the accused person that he had only Zimbabwean dollars Charambira told him that her company only sold the chemicals in United States dollars.

Charambira allegedly phoned the complainant the next day and advised him to send the money in local currency to various bank accounts and suppliers, who would change the money into the US dollars at the black market rate.