Former SSB Paymaster in Court Over Alleged Payroll Fraud Scheme

Brighton Chiuzingo

A former paymaster with Zimbabwe’s Salary Service Bureau (SSB), which falls under the Public Service Commission (PSC), has appeared in court facing allegations of fraud after allegedly inflating his own salary and those of 26 other employees without authorisation. Brighton Chiuzingo, 59, who reportedly served as a paymaster between 2010 and 2021, was arraigned before Harare magistrate Ruth Moyo last week. He was remanded to a later date pending further investigations.

According to court papers, the complainant in the matter is the Public Service Commission, represented by Secretary Sibusisiwe Zembe. Prosecutor Takudzwa Jambawu told the court that the alleged fraud dates back to 2018, when Chiuzingo is accused of unlawfully manipulating the government payroll system to increase salaries for himself and 26 payroll and pensions administrators.

The State alleges the salary adjustments were made without the approval of the PSC secretary, who is legally required to authorise such changes. Investigators say the alleged irregularities first came to light in November 2018 after then-PSC general manager Clemence Chiweshenga reportedly detected anomalies while reviewing employee payslips. The suspicious salary discrepancies triggered an internal audit conducted on 4 December 2018 by Chief Internal Auditor Owden Nhimura.

According to the prosecution, the audit uncovered evidence suggesting that the payroll system had been manipulated, resulting in unauthorised salary increments. The State claims the alleged fraud prejudiced the Public Service Commission of approximately US$39,903, with no recoveries made to date. Chiuzingo is now facing fraud charges as authorities continue investigations into the matter. The case adds to growing scrutiny around public sector payroll management and accountability within government institutions, amid recurring concerns over ghost workers, payroll leakages, and internal financial controls in Zimbabwe’s civil service.

Brighton Chiuzingo