Zimbabwe roads boss faces 127 fraud counts

Runesu Gwidi

A top official with the Zimbabwe National Road Administration has been arrested for stealing over RTGS$196 000 through fake vehicle licensing accounts.

Luke Manyamazi, a provincial licensing head based in Masvingo, a city south-east of Zimbabwe’s capital, Harare, is facing 127 counts of fraud, with his trial scheduled to open on Monday.

Manyamazi becomes the first top official to appear before the Masvingo Anti-Corruption Court, which opened recently.

Court papers show that Manyamazi is responsible for creating and topping up Zinara’s bulk licensing accounts.

He allegedly connived with bogus vehicle licensing agents Jephias Magarasadza and Enock Mapondo to create new accounts using fictitious deposits, which he would later use to license other vehicles.

The three would then, it is alleged, pocket proceeds.