Man arrested for attempted fraud of over ZiG1 Million

Henry Chishanga (39), a man from Chitungwiza, has appeared in court facing allegations of attempting to defraud an insurance company of over ZiG1 million by presenting fake proof of payment for insuring 65 vehicles. Chishanga appeared before Harare Magistrate Ms Ruth Moyo on fraud charges and was granted bail of US$200. He is set to return to court on May 15 as investigations continue.

The complainant in the case is First Link Insurance Brokers (Pvt) Ltd, represented by Mr. Walter Manyundure.

According to Prosecutor Ms Nomsa Kangara, the incident began on January 11, 2025, when Chishanga contacted the complainant's office via landline, expressing interest in obtaining insurance services. After being assisted by the receptionist, Chishanga reportedly requested quotations for insuring 65 vehicles between January 11 and February 18, 2025.

Chishanga later sent what appeared to be proof of payment, claiming to have deposited a total of ZiG1,011,644 for Zinara fees and ZiG89,299 for insurance premiums into the complainant's account. However, the court was informed that Chishanga had fabricated the proof of payments to make it seem as though the money had been deposited.

On March 13, 2025, a routine bank reconciliation revealed that the payments were not genuine, prompting an immediate investigation. The investigation confirmed that no funds had been deposited into the insurance company's account. As a result, the company suffered a financial prejudice of ZiG1,100,943, and nothing was recovered.

Chishanga was subsequently arrested and charged with fraud. His attempt to defraud the insurance company has drawn attention to ongoing concerns around fraudulent activities in the business sector.

Chishanga's bail conditions were set at US$200, and he is expected to appear in court again on May 15, where the case will continue as further investigations unfold.