Harare Car Dealer Loses US$52,000 in Fake ZIMRA Clearance Scam

Harare Magistrate's Court

Harare — A Harare-based car dealer has been left counting heavy losses after allegedly being defrauded of more than US$50,000 by a man posing as a Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) clearance agent. The accused, Tichaona Mupo Mhlakaza, appeared before a Harare magistrate over the weekend on fraud charges. He was not asked to plead and is expected back in court today for a bail hearing.

According to prosecutors, the complainant, Peter Sine, purchased four tipper trucks in Durban, South Africa, in January last year, with the intention of importing them into Zimbabwe. Seeking assistance with customs clearance, Sine was introduced to Mhlakaza, who allegedly claimed to be a ZIMRA agent capable of handling the process.

Fake Proof of Payment

Court papers allege that Mhlakaza informed Sine that he could facilitate the clearance of the trucks for a total fee of US$52,792. On January 20, Mhlakaza allegedly sent Sine what he claimed was proof that customs duty amounting to ZiG1,626,000 had already been paid through a ZIMRA agent identified as Globetrek Logistics.

Later that same day, the two reportedly met at the corner of Leonard Brezhnev Street and Kwame Nkrumah Avenue in central Harare, where Sine handed over US$52,792 in cash to Mhlakaza. However, the deal began to unravel weeks later. On February 2, Sine reportedly approached ZIMRA to verify the payment, only to be informed that no customs duty had been paid for the trucks. The confirmation directly contradicted the proof of payment that Mhlakaza had earlier provided.

Attempts to Shift Blame

When confronted, Mhlakaza allegedly failed to give a satisfactory explanation and attempted to shift blame to a third party, identifying a man named Lloyd Mawadze as the originator of the fraudulent payment document. Prosecutors say Sine did not know Mawadze and had never dealt with him. Realising he had been defrauded, Sine filed a police report, leading to Mhlakaza’s arrest.

No Recovery as Investigations Continue

As of the latest court appearance, no money has been recovered, and police investigations are still ongoing. The case adds to a growing number of fraud incidents involving individuals posing as customs and tax agents, with authorities repeatedly urging importers and business owners to verify credentials directly with ZIMRA before making payments.

Harare car dealer fraud; Fake ZIMRA agent scam; Zimbabwe customs clearance fraud