Harare Woman in Court for US$2,000 "Pregnancy Scam"

A 30-year-old Harare woman, Talent “Bhabhidho” Kwenda, has appeared before the courts facing fraud charges after allegedly swindling a local businessman out of US$2,000 through an elaborate pregnancy scam. The accused appeared before Magistrate Tapiwa Kuhudzai, where the state outlined a calculated scheme of manipulation and extortion that has left the complainant, prominent businessman Pax Jemwa, both financially and reputationally bruised.

According to court papers, the relationship between Kwenda and Jemwa began as an extramarital affair in February 2025. By April, Kwenda allegedly informed Jemwa that she was pregnant with his child. Relying on this misrepresentation, Jemwa began providing monthly financial support for prenatal care and upkeep. The deception reached a peak in December 2025, when Kwenda claimed she had given birth to a baby boy named Ronald.

The scam began to crumble when Jemwa’s natural desire to meet his "son" was met with a wall of excuses. Despite receiving continuous funding for "baby supplies" and "medical checkups," Kwenda consistently blocked any physical contact between the businessman and the child.

The breakthrough in the case came from an anonymous tip-off:

• The Revelation: A third party informed Jemwa that Kwenda had never been pregnant.

• The Confrontation: When Jemwa stopped the payments and confronted her, Kwenda allegedly pivoted from fraud to extortion, threatening to expose the affair to Jemwa’s wife to silence him.

• The Arrest: Refusing to be blackmailed, Jemwa reported the matter to the police, leading to Kwenda's arrest.

Investigations into Kwenda’s activities suggest this was not an isolated incident. Emerging reports indicate a pattern of "serial deception" targeting high-net-worth individuals.

“Preliminary investigations have uncovered that the accused allegedly used a similar playbook on another victim, where she claimed to have given birth to twins to extract maintenance money,” a source close to the investigation revealed.

The case highlights a growing trend of relationship fraud in Zimbabwe, where digital intimacy and extramarital secrecy are weaponized to dupe men, particularly those in the diaspora or high-profile business circles, out of thousands of dollars.

Pregnancy scam Zimbabwe