Bulawayo Council Employee in Court Over US$30,000 Forgery, Fraud Case

Bulawayo City Council employee Sithabisiwe Ncube faces US$30,000 fraud and forgery (image source)

A 44-year-old Bulawayo City Council employee, Sithabisiwe Ncube, has appeared before Bulawayo Regional Magistrate Collet Ncube facing two counts of forgery and fraud involving an alleged US$30,000 scam linked to a United Kingdom–based man. Ncube, who works for the local authority, was remanded out of custody to October 17 for continuation of trial. Prosecutors told the court that Ncube allegedly forged an acknowledgment of debt claiming that Timothy Moyo (61), a UK-based Zimbabwean, owed her US$16,000, when in fact the real debt was US$6,000.

The State alleges that she forged Moyo’s signature on the document, which was then submitted to the Bulawayo Civil Magistrates Court under case number CG352/24 on September 2, 2024. The court subsequently issued a ruling in her favour, leading to the attachment of Moyo’s property, including a Mercedes-Benz E220 belonging to his wife, valued at approximately US$30,000. Prosecutors say Moyo suffered a financial loss of US$30,000, with no recovery made. A police report was later filed, resulting in Ncube’s arrest.

In her defence, Ncube’s lawyer, Tinashe Tashaya of Tashaya Law Chambers, argued that the matter stemmed from a legitimate private loan arrangement, not fraud. “Ncube will tell the court that this was not fraud but an arrangement between two parties,” said Tashaya.

He told the court that Ncube had lent Moyo money and that the transaction was discussed in a WhatsApp group including both Moyo and his wife, where repayment terms were agreed upon. According to the defence, the discussions are contained in 14 pages of chat exchanges and a five-page repayment outline. Tashaya further asserted that no forgery occurred, claiming the document was genuine and that Moyo had voluntarily offered to surrender his Mercedes-Benz to settle part of the debt.

Magistrate Collet Ncube postponed the matter to October 17, when the trial will continue. If convicted, Sithabisiwe Ncube faces potential jail time or a fine under Zimbabwe’s Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act for fraud and forgery.